Cherry Blossom Kiss
by StEpPiNg StOnEs
Summary: NejixOC fullsuminside better than looks. Living in a great ninja village such as Konoha and not being a ninja is, not only uncommon, but boring as anything! Lucky for me I've been meeting plenty of ninjas who end up getting me involved in things I never
1. First Chapter

**a/n hiya!! my third Naruto based story!! ye-ah! If you read this one, you should read Butterfly Prophecy as well. there will be a lot of scenes that take place in btoh of these because this story is based on Emi, Cho's (BP character) best friend. there will also be scenes that happen between the two of them in this story that don't happen in the ither. i.e. chapter four, which I ahven't finished yet. but I'm not writing about that in Butterfly Prophecy just...because. anyway, it's your choise. I really hope you enjoy! I think it's...quite different from anything else. I know I've never read a story like this. xD**

**Summary:_Living in a great ninja village such as Konoha and not being a ninja is, not only uncommon, but boring as anything! Lucky for me I've been meeting plenty of ninjas who end up getting me involved in things I never would have asked for! And it's all thanks to my best friend, Cho! But, unfortunately, I flal in love with the coldest, most pessimistic ninja in the entire village! The heavens must be getting back at me for tryign to set Cho up, because what else have I done to deserve THIS?_**

**_better than it sounds! Both I and my quizilla readers think that! well they never read the summaries but...they like it!_

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_Cherry Blossom_ _Kiss_

**_Chapter One-Attack in the Forest_**

**_--()--_**

I never was an athlete, nor did I ever pretend to be. In fact, I was the farthest thing from one--I attended private school. Sure there were athletic activities there, but I was failing gym class and took no part--or interest, for that matter--in the few sports teams or clubs my school had. Disregarding all of those facts, let me fill you in on another: _when I need to run, boy did I **run**. _

Except, the one time I needed to do so more than anything else, I COULDN'T. My legs were frozen stiff, as was the rest of me besides the trembling. And I couldn't help thinking, as I stood there, _If only Cho were here right now...She'd beat them off...or closer than I ever could..._

The ironic thing was, when the incident occurred, I was on my way to go pick Cho up from the Konohagakure Ninja Training School, just as I promised her I would.

_She's been busier than ever now that she's actually going to the Academy; and since there are other people there, and it isn't private training like she used to do, she's making friends, and hanging out with them. I see her so little now..._ I found myself thinking.

"Looks like the little girl's scared stiff," came the low, rumbling growl of one of the bandits that had cornered me in the woods; his voice had broken me from my thoughts, which were utterly ridiculous in the situation I faced--if I didn't make it out of there I'd never see Cho--or anyone else--ever again!

"Can't even say a single syllable," taunted another

"Why don't we just chop her pretty little head off right now, spare us all the trouble of tracking her down later." The blade of a knife was flicked open as the one spoke, and the group of four, all agreeing with wicked laughter, came at me slowly, bloodthirsty looks shining in their devilish eyes.

_Note to self--if you come out of here alive, Emi, never take the short cut through the woods again. _

The sweat began to come rather quickly right then; the leader, the fiercest of them all and a man with straggly, graying hair which lay in matted clumps at random locations about his head, picked up his pace.

_Why me?! I haven't even turned thirteen yet!_ That one desperate thought screamed inside my head over, and over again; right as the man got close enough to reach out his arm and slit my throat, something--or rather, some_one_--appeared in front of me, arms sticking straight out at his sides, head slightly lowered.

"We've been looking for you!" A girl's voice called out from within the trees; at first I thought she meant me, and I began to wonder who she was, but after a moment's time, I realized she meant the bandits. The pondering didn't stop when I figured this out, but to the contrary--it strengthened.

To my far left, two people jumped down to the ground from the branch of a large tree; a boy and a girl, both of which had brown hair, but with looks **very** different.

They came at the bandits with speed, and as they did so, they drew weapons from pouches tied at their hips. I realized then that they were ninjas.

The person in front of me whipped his head around; I jumped a little, startled both by the sudden-ness of this and his shocking appearance.

"Run. This is no place for a school girl," he whispered; I couldn't tear my eyes away from his. They were so..._bizarre_. And his hair...it was a black bob cut which came to an end just above his fuzzy eyebrows.

"Run!" he demanded

I fell onto my butt and sat, shaking, for a minute; the bobbed boy, still watching me, prevented the bandit leader from coming around and attacking me.

Purple eyes widening in shock, I scrambled to my feet, finally feeling the ability to move return to me--so I ran. I didn't get far, though. As I moved, I looked over my shoulder to see how the boy who had saved my life was doing, and tripped. I flew forward, falling straight into a bush. But it wasnt just ANY bush, gracious no! It was a thorn bush with branches that looked more like arms. With its many black fingernails--for with every arm comes a hand, which has fingers, and they all have nails--it clung to my clothes and skin. I writhed about, but that only worsened the problem, because the nails (Really thorns of course), as I pulled away, scraped at me, tearing through my clothes and my skin.

I battled with the bush for much too long a time, and when I finally escaped its grasp, I felt like a fool.

There was only one bandit left standing--and it wasn't even the leader of the group--but for some reason, the three ninjas weren't even fighting him. The four people, child and man alike, stood there silently, weapons dropped to the forest ground, panting slightly, and staring--

--at **me**

The one girl in the group had a look on her face that said she couldn't quite believe what she had just witnessed--dumbfounded, if you will. The two boys of her age weren't too much different in their expressions. The bobbed-boy cocked a fuzzy eyebrow at me while the other had the look of smug amusement about him. I didn't understand what he had to be snug about, honestly.

"It's a good thing you rescued her. The little snob cant even get herself out of a thorn bush," the bandit sneered.

I felt myself go hot in the face. _'...Little snob?' Oh I'll show him! No one makes assumptions about **my** personality just because I'm wearing a uniform and gets away with it! _

"Excuse me?! Did I hear you correctly or did you just call me a _snob_?" I don't know what gave me the courage to speak ANYTHING, but there I was, screaming at a bandit. I stalked up to him, fuming only slightly, and ignoring the stinging all over my body as the sweat rolled down my skin into the open wounds that now covered my skin. "And what gives you the right to make THAT assumption, anyway?"

"I don't need a _right_ to do anything. I do as I please, and you little runts can't stop me." After looking the three Konoha ninjas over, his gaze fell on me. "Especially you."

From his pocket, he procured another knife. It was old with little dents all over, marking up the metal. On it were stains that looks like rust--but I knew better than to believe that.

No matter how old and scratched up it was though, it was still a knife--and it was still sharp.

The sun shone down through the canopy of leaves, glinting on the silver blade of the knife. The owner of the weapon smirked, looking up at all of us again, licking his lips. He decided that he's come after me--probably assuming I would be the least amount of trouble, that I wouldn't put up any sort of fight just because I didn't have a weapon. He didn't think it was possible that _maybe_ I could punch him out--though I myself doubted it. Or, more likely (though I really wasnt sure exactly HOW likely it really was) one of the three ninjas he had decided not to go after right then, wouldn't allow him to kill me, even though we were complete strangers. But even if they didn't do it for me, they may very well do it just for the sake of beating him. After all, they had said earlier that they had been searching for him, before they knew about me.

I clenched my fists, not too willing to take the chance that the three would allow him to slit my throat, and was going to be ready to hit him when he came at me. I looked at one grimy fist, and grinned only slightly. I'd punch his head off--if need be.

But I never got the chance.

The bandit got a hold of one long, golden pigtail--hoping to keep me and place--and got kicked in the head. All I got to see was the green and orange leg. However, I knew from inspections of the three nin prior to this particular scene whom it was. That was three times now the bobbed-boy had saved me.

The bandit's hand fell limp to his side and, with a face that looked stricken, he joined his companions lying still on the forest floor.

I stared for a minute before looking up at the three ninjas, scratched up far worse than I, and panting, if only slightly.

"Arigato..." was all I could manage to say right then, and the tiniest trace of a smile flickered across my face.

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a/n so how did you like? I'm working on the fourth chapter of this while I'm uploading all new stories and stuff. think of it as a Christmas gift for fanfiction. oh yeah, because my stories are that good, I know. just kidding. They're good, I'm sure, but I know I've read better. I'm young yet. I have plenty of time to improve my writing skills. my english teacher wans't expecting someone to be as good as writing as I am, at our age level, actually. But I'm bragging and yammering...thanks ever so much (ha ha) for reading!!!**

**StEpPiNg StOnEs**


	2. Second Chapter

**a/n chapters will NEVER look right without an authors note, I am tellign you! THAT is why I continuously put these on here, even when I have NOTHING to say!! I hope you enjoy the chapter! HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!! which is, in fact, a holiday but it's the one I celebrate so I have to make sure to say it...

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_Cherry Blossom Kiss_

**_Chapter Two-Three New Acquaintances_**

**_--()--_**

"It was no problem. After all, it's our job. Being Ninjas and all..." The girl grinned, putting a hand behind her head. She looked tired--I could tell no matter how hard she pretended to be perfectly fine.

I nodded slowly as an awkward silence took over. Looking down at the ground, I furrowed my eyebrows. "They aren't..._dead_...are they?" I asked slowly, looking back up at the three ninjas.

"No...Theyre just unconscious...I think..." The girl seemed to be the only one interested in talking to me. With a quick smile directed towards me, she eyed all the bandits carefully; I followed her gaze. One had some sort of weapon sticking out of his back. The blood surrounded the wound was thick. I shuddered.

"Well..._that_ one **might** be dead..." she said sheepishly. I shuddered at the thought. I hated death, especially the gruesome ones such as that one bandit's.

"I should probably head off...I was supposed to meet my friend..." I mumbled. The girl ninjas didn't seem to hear me though, or just pretended to not because, as I started to walk off, she gently grabbed my elbow.

"Why don't you come with us? To get all bandaged and stuff..." Her voice trailed off, but she never lost her eye contact with me.

"Umm..."was all I got out; she took this as a yes and, somehow gathering a ton of energy, grabbed my elbow again--much more forcefully.

"Come on you two! We need to get to the waterfall!" The girl called over her shoulder at the two boys who just watched. The bobbed-boy was the first to take after his teammate, jumping up into a tree, getting far ahead.

"Hope you aren't afraid of heights!" the girl said good-naturedly, tightening her grip on my arm as she too jumped up into the trees.

Everything passed by in a blur as I was dragged along after the girl. Even though I am sure she was slowing herself somewhat because she had another person to carry along, she was still going awfully fast. I felt sick watching everything pass, and soon squeezed my eyes shut.

"You okay back there?" she shouted over the roar of the wind that was created as she jumped from branch to branch.

I grunted loudly in response, afraid to open my mouth.

"Well, hold on! We're almost there!"

She wasn't lying. Soon I felt a drop and then, my feet slapped against a solid that felt nothing like the tree bark I had gotten used to. The ninjas released my elbow, allowing the normal blood flow to continue. I stumbled a little, not feeling the support of another being anymore, but after stomping a foot on the ground, confirming it was truly there, I felt better.

"You can open your eyes, you know..." The girl laughed a little; I blushed, my eyes fluttering open. It took a while to adjust to the bright light. It was so much different from the shade in the forest, and then the complete darkness of the back of my eyelids.

We were at a waterfall. Not much else was there besides shrubs. To my right there was the edge of the forest I had just exited. Hesitantly, I walked towards the water, dipping my scratched up hands in it.

"Hey, you! Get over here so I can bandage up your wounds as much as possible!"

I looked over my shoulder, blinking at her. "No, it's okay. It's only a few scratches. You three have it much worse. After all, you **were** the ones fighting. I just got marked up by a stupid thorn bush..." I laughed lightly as a way to cover up my embarrassment.

The brown-haired-boy snorted from where he crouched at the water's bank. I looked over at him, and frowned.

"Come on over here!!" The girl shouted. I nodded a little, watching the boy as I walked over to where the frighteningly energetic girl sat.

"Don't mind Neji. It's just how he is." Obviously she had heard the snort as well. "Hang on a minute, okay?"

The brown haired girl jumped down from the rock and walked over to a bush, where she pulled out a bag. As she walked towards me, she rummaged through the sack, eyebrows knitting together.

"There doesn't seem to be too much left. Lee! Have you been using this after your private training with Gai-sensei?" The girl's eyes narrowed as she looked over at the bobbed hair boy.

Her teammate shook his head in reply, not even bothering to look over.

She sighed, taking her seat beside me on the rock once more. "There won't be enough to treat Neji, Lee, you, _and_ me..."

"Please, don't waste it on me. You three look pretty beaten. I've had worse than this--seriously."

She sighed. "Yes, and we'd be _less_ injured if a certain **someone** would have just used his techniques!" she said loudly, her eyes throwing daggers at the back of the one called Neji's head.

A breath of air escaped his mouth "It just would have been a waste, using it on those pitiful, weak, men," he replied as he straightened himself; his head was slightly turned, and he watched the female ninja and I with his pale eyes.

"Still, it would have saved us all a lot of trouble--and energy. You're supposed to be a genius, right?" She seemed to be getting angry. I looked over at her curiously, remaining silent. The way she looked at Neji...it wasn't just anger and frustration.

Looking into the depths of her brown eyes, I saw admiration, heavy, heavy admiration.

"Tenten..." he said in a low voice. It wasn't soft, nor was it gentle, just quiet. "You know I do not waste energy on weak people like those bandits. Now drop it."

The girl immediately fell quiet, head dropping towards her lap; she seemed to be ashamed of herself.

"Sumimasen, Neji-kun..." she whispered.

Tenten emptied the remains of what was in the bag onto the rock and began splitting it all up after seeing who was injured where and guessing on how badly. She glanced over at me a few times, as if making sure I didn't need any, but soon brought her attention back to what she was doing.

I watched her for a few moments, and then looked towards the forest. Only I didn't really see the forest; Lee stood next to the rock where I sat, smiling a little.

"I suspect you have learned all of our names, but we never got to know yours," he said cheerfully.

Still a little startled by his sudden appearance beside me, it took me a little while to answer--my mouth just opened and closed like a fish. Once I finally managed to make a noise, it was a stutter. "E-Emi..."

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Emi," Lee said, smiling.

"Oh! Yes..." I looked towards the ground, not knowing what to say.

"Lee! Stop it! You're making her nervous!" Tenten hissed. "Now get over here so I can bandage you!"

_Demanding, isn't she? _I thought laughingly. I hid my smile behind one hand; apparently that was the wrong move to make, because Lee and Tenten looked over, concerned.

"Are you okay? You arent going to throw up--are you?" Tenten inquired nervously, abandoning the wrapping up of Lee's hand.

"Nani? Oh. No, no! If I was going to do that, I would have done it way back when we were hopping from tree to tree."

Tenten nodded understandingly and picked up the bandages again, continuing to wrap up Lee's hand. I thought it was already bandaged, but, looking at it, I guessed he always wore those. Plus, something had torn through that and made a gash.

"I should probably go. The sun's starting to set, and I still haven't gone to go pick up Cho from the school. It's very likely that she'll be upset..."

I hopped off the rock, onto the dirt covered ground, and began to walk away; abruptly, I stopped. "You aren't gonna try and stop me now, are you, Tenten?" Looking over my shoulder, I grinned a nice, big grin.

Tenten watched me curiously before smiling a little, shaking her head. "You need to go, so...go ahead. I'm sure I'll see you around town, now that I know you...Emi."

I nodded, and set off at a run. If only I knew where I was, then it would be easier to get to where I needed to be. But since I **hadn't** the slightest idea where I was, I was just going to have to run around for a while until I found Cho's house.

I was already tired from the past events of the day--yeah, I'm pretty weak--but I ran anyway. I weaved in and out of the crowds of people, barely pausing to say 'excuse me' or 'sorry'.

It didn't take as long to get there as I had expected. The sky was completely orange when I did though--not unlike Naruto's jumpsuit.

"Cho! Cho, I'm **sooo** sorry!" I exclaimed, running up to her house and straight onto the steps of her house.

Cho sat on the bench of her porch, staring up towards the sky when I got there. As she looked back down to earth, she blinked as if just coming back from a dream world.

"Oh! Hi, Emi!"

"Hi." I smiled and took a deep breath. "I promise I'll explain _everything_ to you! Just...can I wait a little bit? I'm still getting over it..."

"What? Oh...sure."

_Well she certainly is talkative today.._ I thought sarcastically, smirking a little to myself. _I wonder what she was thinking about...Shikamaru, perhaps?_ Inside of myself, I snickered, but soon discarded the thought. She would be blushing furiously and would look as if she wanted to slap herself if she had been thinking of him. Maybe she didn't realize how she acted when thinking or speaking of him _That's probably why she can deny so persistently that she doens't have a thing for him..._

"Thanks, Cho." I looked over my shoulder and then up at the sky. "Wanna go for a walk? You know...to make up for not coming to pick you up." As I spoke, I suddenly realized that my whole body was shaking.

_Still? I hope it's no longer from fright, because that would just be ridiculous._ I paused. _Though it **was** really scary back there, me not being a ninja and all..._

"If you think you're that important, then fine. I'll come."

Jokingly, I pondered on this for a moment before coming up with my answer and grinning as I nodded. "Yeah, I do think I'm that important."

Cho shrugged. "Well then I suppose I'm going since I'm bound to my word, after all."

"Good, because--you know what? Let's stop that now."

"Thank you! I've been waiting for you to say that!!" Cho exclaimed in an exasperated way as she twisted the doorknob of her front door.

"Mom! I'm going out with Emi, alright?" she called inside.

I smiled a little, looking down at my lavender skirt, torn up and filthy, as I waited to hear Mrs. Shirogane's approval.

It was a faint noise, but it was there. Cho turned to me, and then we left.

I pretended not to be sore or trembling as we headed off together on our walk.

Talking all the while, we walked around a couple blocks before turning a corner that would lead us back to the one we lived on. Going this direction, we walked alongside a river's path. It was 2 feet below the land we walked on, but every once and a while you would see a set of stairs that led down to its banks.

It was routine for Cho and I to go down one of those sets of stairs and take a seat on a bench. It was no different this time. The both of us turned to a staircase and, the moonlight our guide, jumped two steps at a time.

I felt as if I was going to totter over--which only reminded me further of how weak I am--but somehow managed to keep my balance.

"We shouldn't stay too long. It's dark and I see rain clouds..." I said, looking up at the sky. "Plus my mom and dad only got a glimpse of me after school. They're probably worried sick."

"There you go, acting all important again," Cho joked.

I playfully punches the unsuspecting Cho in the arm; she stumbled to the side, tripped over her own feet, and almost fell in the slowly moving river. I quickly took a step to the side and snatched her wrist, pulling her back next to me, farther away from the river.

"Next time I won't catch you. I'll let you fall into the nice, cold water and run away."

"Gee, thanks. You're so kind. No wonder you're my friend," Cho replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes; I grinned widely.

"Now let's go find a bench, okay? I can't believe we haven't passed one yet," I said; As we continued to walk, I looked from side to side, searching for one.

"Oh we just did. Right by the staircase we came down. I assumed you wanted to walk for a bit down here." Cho looked over her shoulder and pointed back to where we came down.

"Cho!! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I just told you--I thought you wanted to walk for a bit down here!"

I sighed. "Well there's no point in going back now--we'll just be taking up more time. Come on, I think I see one up ahead."

Cho and I started walking again, after pausing when Cho informed me of the bench we passed earlier; with each step, the shape I recognized as a bench got larger and larger, and more distinguishable.

_Come on bench!! Come on! My feet are killing me--I need somewhere to sit! Grr...why did I even suggest a walk?! Stupid Emi! **Stupid**!_ I screamed inside me head. I knew the answer to my question though--I enjoyed spending time with Cho. She **Was** my best friend, after all.

"Hey Emi...I have some **news** for you."

I stopped walking, an eager expression taking over my features. "Tell me, tell me, tell me! After all, as you say, nothing _exciting_ ever happens at **private** school. But you go to a Ninja school so..."

"_Well_..." Cho began, but stopped short.

I watched her for a moment, curious, before deciding to nag her. "Well? Well what? COME ON CHO!!! I'M DYING HERE!!"

"It appears that you were right about _Shikamaru_..."

_There she goes again, blushing and all...does she really not notice?!_

I grew even more eager. "What happened?!" I exclaimed, practically jumping up and down.

"He um...well...he asked me out," she finally choked out. I discreetly watched her for a moment before doing something expected of me--

I went goggly eyed for a moment before she let out a shriek of delight. "Oh I knew it!!! I knew what he told me that day in the hospital wasn't the truth!!" Suddenly my eyes narrowed and I looked at her suspiciously--so that she noticed this time. "You said yes, _right_. I mean, you like him, too so..." _Maybe she'll FINALLY figure it out...though I doubt it. She seems pretty set on **not** liking him. Oh how can she not know?!?_

"Okay, first of all--I don't like him. And secondly, no I didn't say yes."

"What?! Why not?!" _Well DUH I didnt actually expect her to say yes--well not COMPLETELY--she's **Cho** after all. STUBBORN. Especially on this subject..._

"...because he didn't ask me..." Cho grinned sheepishly as she said it.

_Well I wasn't expecting that..._

My jaw dropped and I glared viciously at her. "Why would you even **joke** like that?!" I gave her a hard shove, sending my best friend flying; with a _splash_ she landed in the cold river.

Ever true to my word, I ran off. But before doing that, since I felt guilty and was a kind spirit, I told Cho I was sorry and that I loved her.

So through the darkness I made my way back home, where I was much awaited.

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**a/n did any of the readers of Butterfly Prophecy recognize that scene? actually, I haven't posted that chapter yet...DARN IT!!! and I wrote it before this one, too! oh well, what's done is done. so if anyone who also reads BP read this um...that scene is in BP chapter...ten or eleven. Can't remember, but I'll be posting it today so...you know...yeah! anyway! hope you enjoyed:)**


	3. Third Chapter

**a/n soon I will have the fourth one out, but I am still working on it. on with the chapter**

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_Cherry Blossom Kiss_

**_Chapter Three-Directions_**

**_--()--_**

My parents both were, as expected, awaiting my arrival. She fawned over me, telling me how worried they were and they were just happy I was alright. I didn't tell them about what happened in the woods--who _knew_ what they would do. Being an only child, having many perks, also had some bad points. You're parents were **twice** as worried about you as they would be otherwise.

So the rest of the night went as usual, and I went to bed.

Then morning came. I was up early, as always, and went downstairs for breakfast. It wasn't until I went upstairs to get dressed that there was a problem.

"Mom? Hey, Mom!"

"Yes, sweetie? What is it?" she replied tiredly, sticking her head out of the bathroom, soaking wet and dripping on the hardwood floor.

"Can I skip school today?"

Mom gave me a weird look. "Now why would you say that? I thought you liked school..."

"Yeah well..."

My mom came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, and walked up to me. Using motherly instincts, she put her cold, wet hand against my forehead, a frown set in place on her mouth. But there was also one between her eyes as she knit her eyebrows together.

"You aren't hot..." she said, more to herself than to me; her frown deepened. "So what's up?"

"That's what I was about to _tell_ you," I said, just a tad bitter; she gave me an expecting look. "You know last night I came in late, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Well you saw how all my clothes were all torn and dirty, right?" The cuts stung just _thinking_ about the events of the day before.

"Of course I noticed! What kind of mother do you think I am?!"

A blank look taking over my face, I spoke again. "Mom...I'm not evaluating you and your mothering skills and qualities...it was just a simple question which just happened to be a part of my explanation..."

Embarrassed, Mom looked away. "Of course! I knew that..."

I rolled my eyes. _Yeah...of **course** you did, Ma..._. "So anyway! My other uniform is _filthy_. Thus, I have nothing to wear to school..."

With an airy laugh, Mom waved away the very thought. "Oh don't be silly, Emi dear! You _must_ go to school! How else will you become educated?"

"But Mom!! What am I supposed to wear?!"

"Figure something out. I need to finish getting ready for work," she said passively, swooping down to kiss my cheek. She put her hands on my cheeks, the long manicured nails scratching against my skin as she did so. Saying no more, she walked off, back into the bathroom.

I sighed exasperatedly and went back into my room, throwing myself on my bed so hard that it shook. What am I supposed to wear?! It's not like anything will do!!! It's a _uniform_ dress code!!!"

_This is one of the few times I wish I was like the majority of Konoha--including Cho--and went to the Academy. Too bad I'm too girly and weak to ever even **dream** of that. _

Eventually, I **did** figure something out. To me, being late to school was better than getting in trouble for being out-of-uniform.

But since it took me so long to figure it out, I was going to be even MORE late than I would have been if I had cleaned my non-torn clothes right away.

More than an hour later, I changed into the clothes, and finally headed off. "I blame you, Ma..." I muttered, starting to sprint. I was about 45 minutes late as it was, and even though it was my decision, I was getting nervous.

* * *

I came just a little late for the beginning of second period. Slipping into the classroom through the back, and then quietly settling into my seat, my short haired friend, I was immediately noticed.

"Ah, Miss Honda! How nice of you to join us!" Toshiba-sensei said dryly, turning his attention away from the chalk board and to the class.

I was easily spotted. You see, living in a village like Konoha, which is a village known for its power and fantastic ninjas, not many people want to live an ordinary life. That was why the classes at the Junior High I attended had an average of seven students per class. Since some classes were optional, some courses had a little more, or a little less than that, but the average was still seven.

And the classroom I entered was one of those which had a little less than seven, making it even _easier_ to spot me.

"Sorry, Toshiba-sensei," I said, bowing my head to him so that my golden bangs hung in my face. Out of respect, I decided to wait until he accepted my apology to swipe them away.

"Very well, then. Now let's get on with class, shall we!" Sensei pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and turned back towards the board.

Ai gave Sensei a nervous glance before opening up a pad of hers and carefully tearing out a piece of paper; she scribbled something down on it quickly, her eyes never leaving the board, and slid it onto my desk.

After I finished copying down all the notes on the board--at light speed, might I add--I turned over the paper.

"_Why were you late? What's up? _"

I sighed a little to myself. It wasn't that I didn't _like_ Ai, it really wasn't. It was just she wasn't a really close friend of mine, and I didn't feel comfortable telling her the whole truth. So, I settled for a small part of it.

"_Clothing crisis. Both my uniforms were dirty. Had to wash one_"

I waited for Toshiba-sensei to finish telling us what work to do and go sit at his desk to "work" before slipping the paper back to Ai. Then, as I opened my text book for the class--it was Herbology--and began to work, I saw Ai nod and whisper a simple 'alright' before she, too, set to work.

* * *

"Ai! Emi! Over here!" One of our friends screamed once Ai and I entered the small lunch room. Surprisingly, half the school was in that room--and it was only a quarter filled.

"Ah, I see you decided to move around a bit today, eh?" Ai said, grinning as she and I got closer to our group of friends. Considering once more how many people actually _Went_ to the school, it was a **large** group of people. Somehow though, we managed to all squeeze into one table.

"Yeah well...some people stole our regular table..."

"I see..." Ai slipped in between two people on one side of the table; I took the last spot on the other side--the end seat. It was a very desirable place, even though your leg constantly rubbed against the bar that held the table up. At least then, you wouldn't be crammed in between other people.

"So, Emi! Why weren't you in at the beginning of school, huh? Emi?"

My head shot up and I looked around wildly. "Oh Im sorry! What was that?"

"Why weren't you here at the very beginning of school?" the same girl repeated.

"Uniforms were dirty. Had to clean them," I replied indifferently, and shrugged.

"Oh. Okay."

And then the whole group went back to talking. I sighed, opening up my bagged lunch and pulling out a simple sandwich to eat. Discreetly, I looked around the table.

All I could see was grey forms, talking and laughing the same high pitched, girly giggle. The rest of the cafeteria was filled with colors, both vibrant and dull, or light and dark.

But all my friends...they were the same.

I felt out of place because, when I looked down at me, I saw color--I was different from my group.

I shook my head, blonde pigtails whipping me and the girl next to me, as I brought myself back, along with my vision.

All my friends gave me an odd look; when I said nothing about my action, they merely shrugged it off and moved on.

And then the grey was all back.

_They're all the same...There's no individuality. There taste in clothes, boys, hobbies...it's all the same. What they disapprove of, approve of...there's no difference in it. _

I had been seeing this for a while now. Ever since Cho entered the academy, to be precise. When she told everyone, all the girls at the table I sat at put their noses up in disdain. the same look was on each of their face--it was the face that when you looked at it, you would think that the person donning the look just ate ten brussel sprouts all at once.

_Cho...her colors are so vibrant. There are so many different shades..._ I looked down at my hand and saw just the slightest trace of grey. As the seconds ticked by, it grew larger and larger, until I let out a scream and slammed it down on the table.

"Emi!! What was that?! What's wrong?!" The girl next to me shrieked, scooting away from me and huddling close to her other friend.

"N-nothing. There was just...a fly is all. Look, guys. I'm gonna go get ready for the next class. I'm not hungry..."

With that, I got up, grabbed my lunch, and left the room. I felt my heart racing and my stomach twirling in the most uncomfortable way.

_What's **Wrong** with you, Emi?! There's nothing wrong with any of them!! They're all great people! And they're your friends!!! _

But I don't want to be like them...

I want to be different. I want colors. Bright colors--

--just like Cho's.

"What if she was wrong? What if I don't have bright colors in my like she sees. What if I'm all grey, like those guys...?" I mumbled, leaning back against a wall sadly, sliding down until I was on the cold ground.

Years ago, Cho had told me, randomly, that she saw a lot of colors in me--I stuck out in a crowd. Especially the crowd the two of hung out in. The group she spoke of was the very group I _still_ hung out with. Back when Cho and I were seven, everyone was different. Each of us had our own personality, very different from the others. But as we aged, everyone seemed to drop their idea of good fun, or clothes, or food, and decided to follow just one person. The so called 'leader' of the group--Jin. She moved a while ago, but back when she was still with us, she was the most girly, and the most stuck-up.

I had always been a bit...girly, but I always had my own ideas. I didn't change when all the others did. But slowly, slowly, I was starting too--and I didn't like it. Not one bit.

Cho never felt very comfortable around anyone but me. But soon that uncomfortable state changed into dislike. I could tell that she _always_ tried to like them, to have fun with them, but she never could. They were too boring for her. Too the same (yes I am being redundant, I know).

I looked towards the lunch room, and frowned. "I guess I'm starting not to like them all that much either," I said quietly, and laughed just a little bit to myself. "Although that's probably because I'm becoming more and more like them."

_I like being with people who I am just as different from as I am alike. It gives more things to talk about...My friendship with Cho is living proof..._

I sat there for a moment longer, smiling to myself just a tad, before I got up and went to do as I had told my friends I was going to do, thinking laughingly all the while, _It's a good thing I didn't tell them exactly what happened, because its for sure that not a one of them would approve, and they'd cast me out. That actually might do me some good..._

I was probably exaggerating though, about them casting me out. But the part about it doing me good...boy was that the truth!

* * *

After school I headed over to the Academy, first stopping at my house to drop off my book bag.

I was there early. It was a good thing, too, because I could make up for never showing up at all the day before.

However, standing for so long, waiting, made me antsy--I hated waiting. I had almost zero patience--something I inherited fro my mother's side of the family, and one of the only things besides my blonde hair.

When finally parents began to show up, and then students began piling out, I calmed down, breathing out through my mouth slowly.

A flash of orange caught my eye. There was too much of it for it to be Cho, though, which left...

"Naruto! Konichiwa!! It's been a while, hasn't it?" I exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear and waving my arm over my head.

"Oh, oh! Kononichiwa Emi-chan!" he said back to me with more energy than I could muster--which was a lot.

"How've you been?"

Naruto nodded a little, but something on his face that said it hadn't been too good; however, I said nothing about anything, just looked around a bit, eyes searching for Cho.

I didn't see her.

"Hey, Naruto?" My eyes never left the Academy's door, just in case she walked out.

"Nani?"

"Do you have any idea where Cho is? I don't see her around her anywhere..." I said slowly, and turned my head to face him; his whole body tensed.

"So she didn't tell you?"

"Nani? Tell me what?"

Naruto just shook his head. "Nothing. I have to go. See you around Emi!" he waved a lot, but it didn't have the same enthusiasm as it held before.

_Well that was...weird..._ I thought as I watched the yellow-haired boy walk off.

"Ah, look, it's that friend of Cho's!" I heard a familiar voice say. Only it was muffled by the sound of crunching.

I didn't look around for a moment, buying me some time to remember his name. The face stuck out clear in my mind, but the name, the name, the name...

"Oh! Konichiwa Chouji!" I exclaimed, spinning around and smiling at the chubby boy. "Shikamaru!! Konichiwa to you as well! It's been a few days since I've seen you two..."

Shikamaru groaned a little, sticking his hands deep in his pockets and looking up towards the clear blue sky; Chouji, the more outgoing of the pair, nodded vigorously.

"Say...where was Cho today?"

I blinked a couple times before frowning deeply. "Funny...I was going to ask you that, since I didn't see her come out." Once more, I looked towards the door, and then joined Shikamaru in staring at the sky.

When I looked back down, I noticed that Chouji was staring at me intently--or, with as much interest as he gave his food--but Shikamaru, on the other hand, was staring at the ground. Though I didn't really know him, and my judge of character was usually very terrible, unlike Cho's, I sensed that this was something not normally done by the boy. I watched him discreetly before coming up with an idea.

_Let's see how he reacts. Maybe he's the same as Cho! That'd be so fun to set the two of them up when they don't even know they like each other! Actually, I'm not sure about Shikamaru not knowing...if he actually likes Cho that is, which I'm betting he does. _

"Hey! Shikamaru? I have a question for you..."

"Huh?"

"Could you go to Cho's house and check up on her? I'm awfully busy, and don't have time. If you have any free...it would be appreciated..." I gave him a pleading look; he groaned again.

"How troublesome..." he mumbled; Chouji looked over at him with a raised eyebrow, which Shikamaru purposefully ignored. Obviously there was a meaning in there that they meant, and I was clueless on.

"Oh, silly me! Do you even know where she lives?"

Shikamaru hesitantly shook his head, causing me to laugh to myself. He wasn't too sure he wanted to get involved!

"I'll tell you, and if you decide it isn't too 'troublesome' you can go. Okay? Good!" I smiled warmly before he even got a chance to say 'no', which made him groan once more.

"So you go straight down that street, right there, okay? Go until you see the second turn on the _left_. Then, look on the right hand side for a narrow path. Down there are some houses. She lives on the left hand side, fifth house. Got it?"

Shikamaru nodded instantly.

"So are you willing to go? I'm sure she'd appreciate someone going, and hey! I'll even invite you to watch the show when she 'yells' at ME for not checking up on her and sending someone else. Eh, eh? It's a _pretty_ tempting offer, isn't it?" I wiggled my eyebrows and smiled.

Shikamaru shrugged, before turning to the road and heading off. Chouji looked at me and then ran after Shikamaru, stopping him.

Straining my ears, I could just manage to hear the words the two exchanged.

"Hey, you're lucky she came and gave you directions on your own! That way, you didn't have to ask for them, which you were thinking of doing, weren't you?"

"No, it's troublesome..." Shikamaru replied.

"But you said--"

Shikamaru noticed me point-blank staring at him and Chouji, obviously listening, and cut his friend off.

"Never mind, it doesnt matter. I was going this way anyway..." he said as he bent his head back to stare up at the sky again. "What a drag..."

Chouji snickered a little as he polished off the bag of chips. "See ya around Shikamaru! I'm gonna go get some food with my dad!"

"Mm-hmm..." he grunted; looking back down to earth, he gave me a sharp look, and carried on.

"Wow...he gave in so easily...and what was that Chouji was saying?" I said, curious, holding my chin. I smirked, blinked a few times, and then headed for the long way home, so that Shikamaru wouldn't see me pass right by Cho's house to get to my own, two doors down.

* * *

**a/n so once you people read chapter...eleven of Butterfly Prophecy, you'll understand what happened when Emi gave directions to Shikamaru. ha ha...she did SO much mroe than that. ha ha...yeah...sorry. anyway!! hope you all enjoyed!**

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!**


	4. Fourth Chapter

**a/n w00t! okay, so here's chapter four of this series!! It took a while to actually think of an idea for it, and a little bit of time to actually get it written. I hope you enjoy it! Merry Christmas all! Or Happy whatever it is you celebrate!!**

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_Cherry Blossom Kiss_

**_Chapter Four-Confrontation_**

**_--()--_**

"Emi! Hey, Emi! Are you free? We were all gonna go shopping together. Why don't you come with us?"

"Um...I can't," I replied, looking over my shoulder briefly at the group of girls behind me, particularly at the girl who had questioned me.

The black-haired girl pouted. "But Emi!" she whined. "You _never_ hang out with us anymore!"

"Sorry, Genju. I've just been really busy, lately. I promise I'll catch up with you guys later, if I can. Is that alright with all of you?"

I looked each of them in the face and they all nodded; with that, I stuck the last book in my locker, grabbed something small and pocketed, and then closed the white-painted metal door shut.

"See all of you later!" I exclaimed and bounced off, waving; they waved back, watching me as I left. Once I was out the door I heard them all start talking again.

"Whew!" I have a sigh of relief, dramatically wiping my dry forehead with the palm of my hand. "I thought I'd **never** get away from there! Jeez those guys are getting more boring all the time!" I was talking about the teachers, _and_ my friends. It wasnt that I didn't _like_ them. I was just...drifting away from them. They did the same things ALL the time, talked about the same things all the time, it was irritating.

"Let's see...so am I actually busy today?" I asked myself, looking up at the sky as I lazily walked towards my house, half-empty book bag swung over my shoulder. "Uh...nope! I'm free as a bird!"

_But I did feel kind of guilty lying to all of them...Still do, matter o' fact..._

I easily brushed it off and took the last few steps to me house, up the porch, and inside.

"Hiya, sweetie!" Mom's voice came from the kitchen; I raised an eyebrow. It seemed a little early for her to be home from work. She usually worked such late hours...

"Hey Mom! What are you doing home?"

"I could ask you the same thing! Shouldn't you be off mingling with your friends? Like...I dont know, shopping or something!"

"I don't think I'm energetic enough to go shopping with all of them, Ma. I was thinking about just taking a walk around the village after I got changed."

"That'll do you some good! But before you do that," She stuck her blonde head out the doorway. "Come give me a kiss! I haven't seen you in _ages_ it seems!"

I smiled a little and took my time getting to her, pecking her quickly on the cheek. "But seriously, Ma. What are you doing home so early?"

"I just got off early, is all! It's nothing to get worked out about."

Being blonde wasn't the only thing I had in common with my mother; both of us tended to use the words' nothing to get worked up about' when we lied. Only some people caught that fact though; all the others figured out that we were lying by our facial expressions. Unlike Cho, we were not 'graced' with the 'gift' of being able to deceive easily. Not that Cho lied often.

I raised an eyebrow at her, but it was left unnoticed

"Just go get dressed, okay sweetie? I'll see you for dinner. Your father will be home shortly, I'm betting. He didn't have to work long hours today..."

"Of course. I'll see you around, Ma." And with that I ran up to my room and changed out of my stuffy private school uniform and into a simple blue skirt and white tank-top.

Not a moment later, I was back downstairs, slipping into some sandals and heading out the door.

"Sayonara, Ma!" I called and, without waiting for a response, went outside.

"Ah! It feels so good to be out of my uniform!" I said, smiling easily as I stretched my arms high over my head, inhaling the fresh air. "And to think that I can spend the rest of the afternoon just wandering around! Thank the heavens for no homework!"

I had only been walking for a couple minutes when I heard a voice calling my name.

"Emi!! Emi-chan!"

It took me just a second or so to figure out that it was me that was being called; I whirled around and immediately spotted three familiar faces making their way towards me. Of course, one of them was _impossible_ to forget. The sun shone down on his already shining black bob which came right above his large round eyes. The other male teammate trailed behind the other two, an indifferent expression playing on his face, fitting all to well with his cold, pale eyes.

And even though Tenten was waving energetically at me, smiling in a very amiable way, I found myself staring at the anti-social Neji instead. He didnt notice though and just kept staring ahead as he followed his two teammates, hands deep in his pockets.

"Emi-chan?" Tenten and Lee said at the same time; I looked over at the two of them and smiled lazily.

"Hi guys. What's up?"

"We just finished a mission!" Tenten said, yawning widely. There was dirt smeared on her cheek, and her brown hair was falling out of the two buns she held it up in.

"Oh! What did you do?"

As Tenten and Lee went back and forth between explaining it, I felt myself feeling very..._refreshed_. It was **nice** hearing about these things that I knew I would never do. It was so much different from what I was used to hearing about. Cho was still in the Academy, so she never got to tell tales about missions, dangerous or just searching for lost pets.

"So what are you up to?" Lee asked.

"Huh? Oh! Um...nothing much. I was just wandering around, really. Thinking. I was hoping I'd run into someone I knew eventually and...what do you know!" I laughed a little uneasily, scratching the back of my head.

Tenten nodded, still smiling cheerfully; my eyes briefly flickered towards Neji, he looked very much like he'd rather not be there, listening as his teammates made small talk with a 'complete stranger', as I could tell he thought of me as.

"Well...we should probably get going! Gay-sensei is probably looking for us..." Tenten said.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee exclaimed and looked towards me. "You have to meet Gai-sensei! He's the coolest, strongest ninjas in all of Konoha! He is winning the ongoing contest between himself and his rival Kak--"

Tenten slapped him upside the head, shutting him up immediately; he glared just a little before looking at the ground.

"Don't trouble her with such useless information, Lee," Neji said with a cool edge; it was the first words he had spoken since he and his teammates had approached me. "Let's go," he ordered, his shoulder brushing against me as he walked on past; Lee and Tenten waved goodbye and ran off.

I sighed, watching my three acquaintances grow smaller and smaller as they ran through the large village, searching for their sensei.

"Well, that was only semi-awkward," I mumbled to myself, continuing onward towards the river where I would sit in peace on a bench and allow my mind to wander. Constantly, it went to the image of the pale-eyes boy with his long brown hair and the cool indifference he radiated. He...fascinated me, suddenly. I wanted to know why he was so cold, so silent. I wanted to know why Tenten said his name with such relish--what great thing did he _do_?

_I want to get to know **all** of them better. Especially Tenten and Lee. They seem...fun. And Lee...why does Neji and Tenten act so..._

My thoughts were cut short by a clearing of the throat; my head shot up and I looked around wildly.

"When did I get here?" I whispered to myself upon finding myself sitting on the bench. Last I remembered I was still walking down the dirt roads.

"Ahem!" The clearing noise came again.

I looked over my shoulder and found another familiar face. Only this one was so much more familiar than the other three, and did not look pleased.

"Cho!!" I exclaimed, a grin lighting up my face. Not only was I happy to see my dear friend, but I was happy that she allowed my mind to stop wandering, since it kept landing on the image of the three ninjas I just met a couple days ago. All three...intrigued me.

"Konichiwa, Emi!" She didn't seem as enthusiastic about seeing me as usual, nor as thrilled as I seemed. "There's something _serious_ I have to discuss with you."

She began walking towards the bench, but stopped abruptly, and then backed back towards the steps which she had come down on. "I would prefer it if we talked up there, away from the river. You got me sick four days ago when you threw me in..."

"Was it four days ago, really?" I asked, trying to suppress the amusement in my voice; the corners of my mouth twitched as I tried to hold back the smile, as well.

"Yes, it has been. Now, if you will...**please**?!" She jerked her hands towards the land up above, and her eyebrows were raised high. They were up so high, in fact, that it seemed very likely that they'd fall off.

"Yeah, sure," I snorted; Cho frowned.

"What is it _now_?" she sighed.

"Nothing, nothing. Let's just get this over with. It really **must** be a serious matter since it has you in such a bad mood..."

"I am not in a bad mood!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"Yeah. You are."

Cho frowned. "Okay, so maybe I am! But it's _your_ fault."

"I'll take the blame after I hear this thing you have to talk to me about. Now talk!"

"I love you, you know that?" Cho said, laughing as she draped an arm over my shoulders.

"Yeah. But really, who doesn't?"

"I mean you willingly take the blame when you don't even know what's going on."

"I know! I seriously am the **best**!"

We were at the top of the stairs; Cho removed her arm from my shoulders and gave me a blank look.

"Don't push it," she said simply. I broke out in a grin.

"Fine. Now, please, inform me of this 'serious matter' before I die in anticipation."

"I don't appreciate your sarcasm," Cho said jokingly, sticking out her tongue at me. "But anyway!"

"Oh, and just warning you--this better not be a joke like last time, 'kay? Because I'll do something **worse** than throw you in the river."

"You're so abusive!!" Cho whined, laughing a little. "And you better not. I'm still a little sick from that day. Yeah, that's right! You got me sick! And THEN you didn't even check up on me, but instead you sent _Shikamaru!_ Which is what I wanted to talk to you about!" She sniffled a little, causing the threatening sound of what she said to dissipate. Not that it was a threat, really, anyway.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, staring at her expectantly.

Cho let out an exasperated grunt. "I _said_--you know never mind that. Just let me get to my point. _Why_ didn't you come check on me yourself when you found out I never went to school?! Instead you sent someone ELSE!! And to make matters worse--it was **Shikamaru** that you sent!!!"

"Hold that thought, okay? I promised Shikamaru I'd invite him to witness this event," I said, holding up my index finger as I quickly scanned the area.

"What?! Oh, _no_ you don't!! You are not going anywhere!"

"I'm not going _anywhere_. I'm going _everywhere_." I said smugly and stuck my tongue out at my already boiling friend.

Cho's face flushed hot, and then, taking a deep breath, she calmed down. "Okay, let me re-phrase my statement for the sake of your narrow mind. You are **not** going to go find Shikamaru!"

"Okay then can I get my video camera?" I was completely serious. When I made a promise I would go to any lengths to keep it. Well, _most_ any.

"No!!" Cho shrieked, looking truly horrified.

I laughed heartily. "You're funny when you're angry, Cho." As I said this, a thought popped into my head: _How long has it BEEN since I've seen her angry, anyway? She's usually so easy going...around me, anyway. I don't know about other people..._.

Cho let out a sigh.

My hysterical laughter became just soft giggles, making it easier to both breathe and speak. Clearing my throat, still smiling, I turned towards Cho. "I _promised_ Shikamaru that I'd invite him to witness this VERY event. Or, the event from when you were yelling at me for not visiting you myself...But personally, I think this one is better."

"Honestly, I don't think Shikamaru would be interested in either of them," Cho mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and looking towards the ground.

I raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so set on Shikamaru not seeing this?"

"Because..."

"_Because...?_"

"Because...because I don't want--Because it's none of his business!!" Cho exclaimed, getting extremely flustered with herself and tripping over her words. She finally looked up at me, and I was not at all surprised to find her face beat red. Her blue eyes shimmered in a way that made her look very confused.

"Oh. I see. Well then, I guess this will just be one promise I just can't keep." I gave a fake laugh, distracted.

_So Cho doesn't want Shikamaru to see her angry and screaming, huh? I suppose I understand that, going by what I know. But Cho...she has no idea why she's feeling the way she is._

"Thank you," Cho whispered meekly, eyes cast down towards the ground. "I'm sorry for yelling. It's just been pretty much the only thing on my mind for two days, and it's been irritating me. I would have gotten it off of my chest two days ago, or yesterday, after school, but both days I was catching up with Naruto, after our argument. Sorry."

_...Argument?_

I ignored the thought and just smiled at my friend. "It's alright. I deserved it. I'm sure you didn't really expect someone to check up on you but, it should have been me."

"Why did you send Shikamaru anyway?"

I gave her a sly smile. "No reason, no reason." My eyes darted up towards the sky; I frowned. "I'd better be going. I'll...I'll see you around, alright?" And all the joy was gone again, and I was once again distracted.

Without waiting for Cho to say anything, I began to walk off. _Argument? Cho and Naruto? What else isn't she telling me? We tell each other EVERYTHING_

A small voice in the back of my mind disagreed. _Do you really? When the last time you told her what was was going on at school? Have you told her what you've been feeling about your friends? Or about those three ninjas you find so intriguing...?_

_Well that isn't the same!!_

_Yes it is..._

"Emi! Are you alright?"

I stopped suddenly, happy to have someone talking to me, stopping the mental argument I was having with myself. "Hm?"

It was Cho.

"Emi, what's up? You seem so distracted. And usually you wouldn't care whether or not something was someone elses' business. You'd go ahead and do whatever it was anyway. Is something bothering you?"

_Yeah. A **lot** of things. Or really just one thing leading to other things. _

"Nope! Just got a lot on my mind. Schools like mine are a real nuisance." I flashed her a false grin and turned back around.

"Hmm...okay...well um...Emi? Can we get together soon and...talk."

"Sure. What about?"

"Hm...well, a lot of things, I suppose. We could catch up on some stuff. I've been in that sort of mood. I've pretty much caught up with Naruto, and during the upcoming break from the Academy I'm gonna hang out with Hinata, catch up with her since really I haven't seen her much. And we've both been so busy with our school stuff that we haven't seen too much of each other."

"Yeah. That'd be nice. Just come find me when you have spare time, okay? I've got a project coming up, so I'm going to be busy for a few days but, when you're free I'll make some time." A genuine grin found its way across my face that time and I looked around to share it with her; for a moment, she was startled (for reasons I don't know) but then she blinked and she too smiled.

"Good. Well, I really need to get home now. Later, Cho! Lovies!"

Laughing, Cho nodded. "Love ya!" she exclaimed and then ran off; I stood still for a moment and then departed as well, heading towards my house for dinner.

* * *

**a/n** **I know it probably isn't necessary for me to say this, you probably all know, and it's kinda like my famous (infamous) rambles, but I'm going to say it anyway, just to fill up space and because I said it on quizilla. Most, if not all, of you people reading this story are girls, correct? and with your close friends, you say 'I love you' right? if not then well, some people do, and Cho and Emi are just like that, just in case any of you were wondering. Just to prevent any questions that some people might have, which no one has asked, so I assume you all understand. just making sure that you understand that. :) so thanks again for reading!!**  



	5. Fifth Chapter

**a/n I finally got a review!!! THANK YOU!!! anyway, here it is--finally! chapter five! hope you enjoy even though it seems short-ish here on fanfiction...quizilla it was pretty long. anyway! review, please?**

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_Cherry Blossom_ _Kiss_

**_Chapter Five--Out with the Old_**

**_--()--_**

"Hey! Emi!"

I turned around, trying to hide the guilt written all over my face. There stood my group of friends, all staring at me with hands placed firmly on their hips.

"Konichiwa!" I said, nodding in their direction. My hands were full, and I couldn't spare either of them to wave at the group collectively.

"Where are you headed? Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?" I blinked as Ai let out an agitated groan.

"That you're supposed to hang out with us today! You promised us during lunch!" Ai said it as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh yeah! But that was before I got so much homework!"

Kira's eyes narrowed in my direction. "No you don't you just told me two periods ago that the only homework you have is the science project, which isn't due for another two weeks. There's _no way_ you got a ton of homework in that **one** class!"

I sighed. "You caught me. I just didn't want to tell you guys that I...I already had plans with Cho."

"Ditch her! You _never_ hang out with US anymore!"

I wasn't sure who said this, but it annoyed me. Okay, so I didn't _really_ have plans with Cho, but still. They expected me to ditch my best friend to hang out with them?

I hesitated before shrugging. "Okay, I guess I could. But just this once. Let me take all my stuff home first and then I'll meet you guys..." I paused. "Where should I meet all of you?"

"Back at Ai's house!" Genju chirpily exclaimed. I turned my gaze towards Ai, who nodded, confirming that that was alright.

And afterward you could come over to my house so that we could work on the project together!" Kira added.

"Okay. I'll see you all there," I said. I shouldered the door, pushing it open, and hurried outside.

There was no time to enjoy the beautiful sunlight and the clear blue sky. I needed to get home, drop off my stuff, change, and then get over to Ai's house. I wanted to get it out of the way. Hanging out with them, the project I was paired up with Kira for, _everything_.

Just as my arms felt like they were going to fall off because the amount of things I was carrying home--most of which were things from my locker which I had been meaning to bring back--I reached my house. Unable to use my hands to turn the knob, or to even knock, I banged my head against the door. I had to do this a couple times before my mother finally came.

"Emi, darling! What's all of this stuff you're carrying?" she asked, not even bothering to greet me first.

"Stuff," I grunted, and ran straight up to my room. Thankfully, the door was open, if only just a crack. I ran right into it, causing it to slam against the wall opposite it. I flinched slightly at the loud noise, but otherwise ignored it.

I ran straight over to my bed and dropped all of the items right onto it. They formed a nice little heap in the center of my twin bed. I didn't look at it for longer than a minute before changing.

Barely five minutes later I was running back down stairs, taking two steps at a time. Passing the kitchen, my mom stuck her head out the wide doorway.

"Where are you headed?" she curiously inquired.

"Going to hang out with Ai and the rest of them. Then I'm going to Kira's to work on our science project!" I told her, all in one breath. Without saying anymore, I ran to the front door and was back outside.

The easiest way to get to Ai's house was to run straight through the yard of the house across from mine, and then continue going straight forward. But I wasn't going to do that. As much as I wanted to get it all over with, I wanted to prolong it as well. So I turned and began walking, passing right by Cho's house and then down the following streets.

Only half the time did I run down the twisty dirt roads, through the fields of grass, weaving between bodies and sidling through narrow alleyways.

At last, I reached my destination. Ai, Genju, Kira, Hotaru, and two others were all lazing about in the grass which was Ai's front yard.

Hearing my footsteps, Kira stirred. Soon the others did as well. Ai was the first to get to her feet.

"Emi!!! _Sooo_ glad you're here! Now we can go shopping!" She almost squealed in joy.

"Yay!" I squeaked in a feeble attempt to sound excited. Only Kira noticed how insincere it was, and her eyes narrowed. But she kept quiet. Good girl. She had always been my favorite out of the group.

"Well, let's get going! We don't want to waste any time, do we? If we do we won't be able to cover as much shopping area!" Genju exclaimed as she began marching off.

Laughing nervously, I said, "Ha! You are so right!" And pointed at her, shaking me hand. Kira gave me an odd look while the others ignored it.

"Conga line!" Ai ordered; All obeyed and got into a line, holding each others shoulders as they walked off.

"No thanks!" I called after them. "I'd rather not."

"Party pooper!" One of them called over their shoulder, but no one forced me to join.

"I'll walk with you. So you aren't lonely and all..." Kira said; she was smiling in a way that suggested that wasn't the only reason she was doing that.

"Arigato, Kira," I mumbled, tugging absently at the bottom of my lilac-colored tank top. My violet eyes flickered towards Kira: she was still smiling in that sly way. The look didnt suit her well, I thought.

"Come on. We should catch up with the others." She grabbed my arm and dragged me off, though we weren't going at any sort of speed that would get us caught up with the others.

"Hey, Emi?" Kira said after a while. With the hand she wasn't holding onto me with, she pushed away some of her long black hair which was continuously falling in her face.

"Hai?" I couldn't hide the wariness in my voice.

Kira laughed at that. "Don't sound so forlorn, Emi. I was just going to ask you something! You don't need to answer if you don't want to, if that makes you more comfortable."

"Arigato, Kira," I whispered, putting a hand to my forehead.

Kira smiled again. Only this time, it was an innocent smile with no meaning behind it. It was the kind I was used to seeing on her, and it looked much better than the sly one which had been playing on her lips just moments ago.

"Okay, here it is. Are you...are you _tired_ of hanging out with all of us?" Kira looked uncomfortable as she asked. Occasionally, during the silence that followed the question, her dark eyes would flicker towards my face, which showed how much I was struggling to answer.

"Remember, you don't have to answer," Kira whispered after much time had passed.

Well of course I knew that! Several times I had already almost said 'no comment'. But each time I decided against it. I though that at least _Kira_ deserved to know, if no one else.

"Promise not to tell the others?" I whispered. I leaned close to her, but my eyes rested on the conga-line of people up ahead.

"Swear it," Kira replied, taking her free hand and making an 'x' in the air over where her heart was.

"You guys are all nice, and can be fun..."

"But?"

"But you're all so..._similar_. I feel like I'm a washed-out girl put in the wrong painting--a grey one."

"Ah, I see," Kira whispered, her head going up and down in a slow way. "But why are you wash-out?"

"I know this must sound really horrible but...I feel like I have more personality than all of you, which gives me color, but it isn't near as vibrant as Cho's. I'm like you guys, but I'm also...different."

Kira was silent; she stared down at the ground as we both continued walking.

"Kira? Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh! I'm fine, yeah. Just thinking. I remember Cho. You know, she's the only one out of all of us who stayed different. I guess she hated how similar we had all become, dropping our personalities in the toilet and flushing them. Soon, I guess you'll be leaving us, too?"

"Cho didn't leave. She stayed, even when she could no longer tolerate any of you. She pretty much got kicked out."

Kira nodded. "Yes, that's right," she murmured. "A pity. I always liked her."

"Than why did you show such disdain when she told you all about going to the Academy?" I raised an eyebrow as I looked over at her; a blush crept across her face.

"I wanted to stay," she whispered, staring at her arm. A long pause passed before she finally looked up again. "I get how Cho felt, and how you now feel. But I like our little group. I see the 'grey' in all of us, and sometimes I feel..._appalled_ that people could be so similar. But I like it. I like the familiarity of it. I like the sense of security. I like how I feel that I never step out of line. I like knowing exactly what to get them for their birthday, or whatever." Kira stopped again. "Every now and then, I feel like I want more. That's why I've decided--I'm gonna make friends who have more color."

I smiled and nodded. "Good for you." I looked from her and then to the line of our other friends. "Come on. We should probably catch up."

Kira let go of my arm, and I was about to run ahead, but Kira said something that stopped me in my tracks.

"That's why, whatever happens between you and the others, I want to stay friends with you."

Slowly, I looked over at my shoulder. A grave expression was on Kira's face as she just stared at me. I stared back for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah. I'd like that, too."

I didn't even get to take a full step before her voice stopped me yet again.

"And Emi? You're being really obvious about how you feel. What you just told me, I mean. Sure, they're all oblivious, but who knows when one of them will figure it out. So unless you **want** that to happen--"

"I gotcha."

And with that, the two of us ran to catch up with the conga-line of our friends.

* * *

"Yay! Look, it's open! I was so afraid that it wouldn't be, but it is! Isn't this great?!" Hotaru was grinning from ear to ear as she jumped up and down. She stared through the window at the aisles upon aisles on clothing. On racks, on shelves, hanging on hangers.

Ai, Genju, and two others pressed their faces against the glass before Kira opened the door.

"You said it was open, didn't you? Then go in!" She said, smirking. The five looked over at her. Each narrowed their eyes until they were just slits on their faces before they went in.

Kira and I followed them. I felt embarrassed as I watched them all, squealing and such as they fingered clothing.

"C'mon, Emi. Don't just watch. Buy some. I _know_ you like clothes."

I hesitated before nodding and following Kira over to a rack of clothes. I grabbed some shirts and a couple skirts, and then grabbed two pairs of jeans.

With a hint of a smile on my face, I went to the back where there were stalls for trying on the clothes. Knocking on the door, I waited for a voice. When there was none, I shrugged, and went in.

* * *

I had been dragged to several more clothing stores, as well as some other shops which I had never even **Dreamed** of looking at. An entire store devoted to make-up, being one of them.

As I was waiting for my friends to shove through the doorway of one store--it was a difficult task, what with all the bags they were carrying--they came. Or at least, I saw them nearing. I smiled slightly, just in case they could see me, but inside I was cursing.

_Darn it, darn it! Yesterday, after I saw them, I couldn't get them out of my head! At all! I even **dreamt** of them!_

"Emi-chan! Emi-Chan!"

That was Rock Lee's voice. I turned a little and gave him a small wave, but nothing more. Turning back to my school friends, I was greeted by inquiring gazes by all six of them.

"Um...Emi? Who's that creepy looking guy calling your name?" Hotaru asked. There was repulsion in her voice, and it was plain on her face as well.

"Oh. That's Rock Lee. He's my..." I paused before saying the next word only because I wasn't sure if it was true. But in the end, I decided that, even if it wasnt, it was fine that I told them that. "...Friends. Yes, he's my friend."

"And the other two?" Ai asked, eyebrow raised.

"Tenten and Neji," I replied. I didn't even look, for there was no need. I knew it was true.

"Neji? As in _the_ Neji? He was the number one ninja rookie last year! And from what I've heard, he's _really_ cute!" Genju was excited. Actually, she was ecstatic. Looking over at her, I saw that she was craning her neck to get a better look.

"Is **he** your friend, too?" Genju asked, envy evident in her voice.

I could have laughed out loud! Neji? My friend. Every time I saw him, he either acted as if I wasnt there or very coldly. "Not a chance, Genju. Not a **chance**."

"Oh. Okay!"

Suddenly, Kira was at my side.

"Look at Ai's face," she whispered. She stood on the balls of her feet so she could speak directly into my ear.

"Of course I'll introduce you to them, Kira! You don't even need to ask!" I said so that everyone could hear. Had she forgotten how unwelcome whispering was in the group, or did she simply not care?

Very inconspicuously, I looked over at Ai. She seemed completely void of all emotion--unless you looked at her eyes. She was looking towards the three figures that were coming ever closer with disdain. Maybe even hatred was there as well.

_She doesn't even know them!_ I angrily growled inside my head.

"Lee! Tenten!" I exclaimed, abandoning the six and half-running towards the two instead. Neji followed soon behind Tenten, looking quite like he'd rather be anywhere but here, but I paid no heed to him.

"We just keep bumping into each other, don't we?" I laughed, flipping on log pigtail over my shoulder.

Tenten nodded. "We just got back from _another_ mission!" she exasperatedly explained the unasked question of why she was so dirty.

"Really? What did you guys have to do this time?"

Lee answered for her, "We had to go deliver a message to someone. Before that we had to find a missing pig."

I cocked an eyebrow. "I assume _that_ is why you're all so dirty?" I still hadn't even cast Neji a glance yet. If he was going to act coldly towards me, then I'd do the same it him. Maybe I'd change my mind about doing that, eventually. But for now, I was going to stick to what I was doing.

"Yeah, that's why," Tenten said. Her brown eyes landed on the group of girls a few feet away, staring at us. She furrowed her eyebrows together, turning her head towards me slightly, although her eyes never left my friends.

"Emi? Why are they staring at us like that? Are they with you?"

"Nani? Oh, them. Yeah, they're with me." I heaved a sigh, looked over at them, and waved. Genju eagerly smiled back, waving, but her eyes were on Neji.

Tenten saw this and raised an eyebrow. She glanced towards Neji in a way that suggested that she was hoping he wasnt pleased by this. But of course he wasnt. In fact, he turned his head away, nose in the air.

"Don't mind her," I passively, waving my hand in a dismissive way. I was talking to Neji, though you wouldnt have known if you were just watching.

"They're still staring..." Tenten whispered. Uneasily, she smiled and waved at them. I worriedly looked over, hoping that they weren't glaring too hard. Kira wasn't--she was smiling and gave a wave. Yuri and Rin cocked their eyebrows, Genju was still staring googly-eyed at Neji. Hotaru and Ai, on the other hands...they were less than welcoming. Ai had her arms crossed over her chest, jaw locked, and Hotaru was sneering. It was as if they were saying 'Ninjas? Ha! How dumb!'

Their gaze shifted so that it fell on Tenten, and their looks grew colder.

'A girl ninja? Huh. That's just like Cho,' were the disapproving words behind the look.

I didn't look at them. I didn't want to be angry. It was annoying. And I was talking to people I really liked, who I wanted to get to know better. My anger would probably turn them off and they'd never want to talk to me again.

...But would I really care if they never talked to me again? I mean, if they were going to put their noses in the air about things--or people--I like, and just be mean about it, did I really **want** to be friends with them?

_No...No, I don't want to be friends with them anymore!_ something inside me screamed. The words rang in my head, and I felt my whole body shaking. It was true, I didn't want to waste my time with them anymore--except maybe Kira. But I didn't think I was ready to part with them, not just then. Who would I have then? Cho and...no one.

Clearing my throat, I gently grabbed Tenten's wrist and pulled her towards Ai and the others.

"Ai, Kira, Genju, Hotaru, Yuri and Rin, this is Tenten!" I exclaimed, coming to a stop before all of them. Genju was snapped out of her intense staring and was forced to look towards the female ninja who wore her brown hair in two buns at the top of her head.

"Konichiwa." Kira said it first, and then after that it was like an echo, getting softer and softer until it was inaudible when Ai said it.

Tenten smiled awkwardly and stiffly waved at each of them. Her brown eyes darted towards me. I was looking right back at her, an apologetic expression on my face; she looked confused by this.

"Also! I'd like to introduce you to Lee! And, if he'll allow it, Neji!" I expectantly turned towards Neji. He returned my glance with a cold stare; Tenten stared before wlaking over to him. She spoke in a low voice, but I still heard everything she said.

"Come on Neji. You know that part of being a ninja is getting to know the villagers," she whispered.

Neji said nothing, just continued staring at his teammate with those pale lavender eyes.

"And you want to be the best, don't you? You want to escape..."

Neji silenced her by raising his hand; with a simple nod of the head, he turned towards me. I stared at him curiously for a minute before nodding and turning back towards her stuffy friends.

"Okay, so this is Neji, everyone. And, Lee." I put my hand on Lee's shoulder as I said his name and smiled.

"It's a pleasure," Ai said, tight-lipped. I had never seen her like that before, and I didn't like it. Not one bit. Usually she was so pleasant. I didn't like what was under the mask.

"Emi--can I speak to you for a moment?" As Ai pulled me away, all of the others came after us, forming a large ring around us. I felt bad leaving the three there, but what could I do? I was trapped!

"Are those your friends? Is that why you have no time to hang out with us anymore? Because you're busy galloping about with **them**?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Not at all. I've just been busy with my life. Unlike _you_ I have things to do other than buying all of the clothes in Konoha!" I snapped. "And even if it was because I was hanging out with them--what business is it of yours?"

Ai closed her eyes. When they opened again, there was nothing but cold fury in them. "Well, I'm your friend, aren't I? I only want what's best for you!"

I snorted. "You think you know what's best for me?"

"I _know_ that I do!"

"Okay then! So not being friends with them isn't best?" I sarcastically asked; I was shocked at how she was acting, and that no one else was saying anything.

"It's not because it's _them_! It's because they're ninjas! They just aren't your type. You'll probably get hurt!"

My body stiffened. I stared at her for a moment before finally opening my mouth. "_Excuse_ me? How would I get hurt?"

"They'd put you in dangerous situations!"

I shook my head. "No, they really wouldn't."

Ai waved that away as if I had brought that up and she hadn't. "Well, it still doesn't feel right. I mean, you and Cho are drifting apart now that she's a ninja, right?"

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me. She had struck straight at my heart with that. Yes, that seemed to be true. But Tenten, Lee, and Neji werent the same as Cho. We didn't have the same connection. And even if we had, it wasn't any of her business!

"Well, you are, **Aren't** you?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's just...NEVER MIND! I don't want you to hang out with them anymore, is that clear?"

I blinked at her before turning to the others. "Do the rest of you feel the same way? By a show of hands..."

A murmur rippled through the ring of girls before all but one of them raised their hands--Kira. Good old Kira. I held back the smile that was forcing itself onto my face at seeing that. Instead, I merely nodded and forced out a bitter laugh.

And without another word, I pushed out of the circle and walked back over to Tenten, Lee, and the cold-faced Neji.

"Can I hang out with you guys for a while?" I asked in an undertone; Tenten and Lee happily nodded.

"Of course Emi-san!" Lee exclaimed. That was enough for me. I didn't bother to see if Neji nodded or anything, instead I walked off with them, ignoring the roars of Ai, Hotaru, Yuri, Genju, and Rin. They were angry, but I didn't care. I was finally free. I finally had color.

* * *

**a/n so yeah, it looks pretty short, huh? anyway, that's it. I don't know when the next one will be out but...yeah. I have to concentrate on some stories which have fewer chapters. buty maybe I'd get some inspiration from some more encouraging reviews? I know I'm nagging, I'm sorry. I just got this fantastic review though and it made my day...well, back when I got it. ha ha. so yeah...laterz!**


	6. Sixth Chapter

**a/n yay! It's about time, isn't it? enjoy!**

* * *

Cherry BlossomKiss 

****

**_Chapter Six--Eavesdrop_

----

**

"So you dropped those friends, huh?" Tenten asked of me as we walked together along the streets. A couple feet ahead of us Lee and Neji were talking to each other. Or more accurately, Lee was having a one-sided conversation with his rival.

"Yup. I should have escaped from them before now, but I never did."

"Why not?"

"Because they were my safety net."

"Nani?"

"What I mean is that I knew I would always have friends, people to hang out with and everything, if I just stayed with them. I didn't know how well I'd make out without them. My best friend dropped them even though she is--or at least _used_ to be--shy. I'm this ultra-friendly person and yet...I was afraid I wouldn't make any friends."

Tenten smiled sympathetically at me. "Well you _have_ made friends so it's a good thing you dropped them."

"Why do **you** think it was good?"

"I don't know. They just...weren't right for you. They were suffocating you and they just...they didn't have the color you had, you know? And trust me, you could try forever to give them some of your color and they just wouldn't take it. I know their type."

_Color..._

I stared at Tenten in a daze and for a moment Cho's face came through hers. Squeezing my eyes shut I muttered nonsense words to myself before looking at her again.

"Are you okay Emi-chan?" Tenten unsurely asked.

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm good. Just tired is all."

"Okay good! But if anything ever is wrong, just know that we're here for you. Lee and I that is. Neji...well let's just say he hasn't warmed up to you quite yet."

The brunette cast a wary look at the long haired boy and then glanced at me. I assumed that she was wondering why he referred to me so coolly because she heaved a sigh and then looked at the ground.

I knew the answer to that question though--it was because I was inferior to him. Of course so where his comrades, but I was at the bottom of the totem pole. I wasn't even in the _Academy_! I went to a private school for _regular people_.

It was like I had the plague or something the way he treated me.

Seriously if I walked up to him and accidentally rubbed shoulders he's flinch away and give me one of his cold stares. Usually I was almost indifferent to looks like that, but it was something about those pale eyes that made me fearful.

Not only that but I wished that his pale eyes weren't cold like ice but instead warm like the color of the flower they were.

"Do you want to meet our sensei?" Tenten suddenly inquired. "We were just about to go meet him when we ran into you and--"

"You have to meet Gai-sensei!" Lee interrupted. He spun around to face us. I was taken aback by the eager expression on his face. Looking over at Tenten's calm expression I realized that this was a normal thing for him and that, in time, I'd get used to it.

Maybe I would get used to Lee's spastic moments, but I knew I would never get used to the fact that he frighteningly resembled his sensei.

But let me tell the story in the order it all happened in.

"Of course. I have nothing to do really, anyway."

_Except I **WAS** going to work on my project with Kira...oh well, we'll have to do that later. Whether it be today or some other day I don't really care..._ I thought to myself.

"Great! Come on! Gai-sensei is waiting for us!"

Next thing I knew I was being dragged through Konoha by a green-clad, super-fast ninja. We suddenly skidded to a halt at a building. It was a rather open building. The top floor was like a giant balcony with just a roof over a section of it.

Lee turned and went through a door. We jogged up a few sets of stairs until we reached that top floor.

There was only one person standing up there, and I thought I was seeing things.

A green jumpsuit, a black bowl-cut, fuzzy eyebrows...it was like a double of Lee. The thing that tipped me off that it wasn't a clone of him was the eyes. But also this older man wore a green Chuunin vest.

"Konichiwa Gai-sensei!!" Lee exclaimed; he dropped my arm and ran towards the man.

So this guy was the famous sensei?

Emi-chan! Come meet Gai-sensei!" Lee ordered.

The initial shock I received from seeing the two together was so great that I couldn't move. I had a feeling my eyes were bugging out and I felt rather odd and rude.

A hand was placed on my back which guided me over to them. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head to awaken myself from the daze.

"Gai-sensei, this is Emi-chan. Emi chan, meet Gai-sensei."

I took the large hand the green-clad man offered me and gave it a firm shake.

"It's nice to meet you," I managed to stutter.

"The pleasure's all mine! I love meeting youthful people!"

I sent Tenten a discreet look which she replied to with a snicker. Then, looking forward again, I smiled.

"Er, yeah. Youth sure is nice, isn't it?"

"Enjoy it while you can, Emi-san!" The man addressed as 'Gai-sensei' put one hand on my shoulder, winked, flashed a grin, and held up a thumb.

"Um, I'll be sure too!" I assured the stranger.

"Good!"

The man turned to his three pupils. "So how did the mission go? Sorry I couldn't accompany you, but I had my own missions to attend to."

"Oh! What did you do, Gai-sensei?"

It was, obviously, Lee who said this. Tenten and Neji both rolled their eyes and I suppressed a grin.

"Oh I was just competing with my rival, Hatake Kakashi! Now how was your mission?"

"We did fine," Neji monotonously replied. "The missions we are given are too simple. Even people like Emi could perform them."

My eyes shot up and I stared ferociously at the Hyuuga. "What's that supposed to mean?" I growled.

"It simply means that regular people, people who aren't ninja or training to be one, could easily perform the missions, that is all."

"I don't like what you imply."

"Get used to not liking things. Many things which are your destiny you will not enjoy, but you must get used to it."

_Oh gosh, is he giving me a lecture?!_

"Well I--"

I didn't get to finish my thought because Tenten stepped between us both.

"Please, stop!"

"You shouldn't waste all that youthful energy fighting!" Gai-sensei told Neji and me.

"Yeah!" Lee agreed.

I bit my lower lip and nodded. Forcing my muscles to move, I bowed. "Sorry, Neji-san," I managed to say. Then turning to all the others, I said, "I must be going now. It was nice meeting you, Gai-sensei. Good seeing the rest of you!"

* * *

I walked slowly along the main streets of Konoha, heading home. Above me the sky was making the daily transition of blue to the lovely orange color which Cho loved.

Slowly I looked up from the ground and stared upward, just to look at the sky. But as my head was making its way upward, my eyes caught on something.

Two blondes were racing past me. One was a girl clad in an orange shirt and green shorts with goggles dangling from her neck; the second was a boy about four inches taller than the girl. His clothes were all white and he wore a forehead protector as I belt in his long, white, cargo shorts. One hand was firmly grasping the girl's wrist while the other held a white fisher-man style hat on his golden-blonde head.

The two came to a sudden halt and I felt embarrassed that I hadn't recognized the girl--it was Cho.

The blondes had stopped in front of another person I recognized--Chouji.

Curious as to what was going to go on, I crept closer. I wasn't, however, going to make my presence known. First of all that would ruin the conversation that was going to happen between the three, and secondly I wasn't in the mood to talk to Cho.

"Konichiwa Chouji!" Cho happily greeted.

Chouji jumped, clearly unaware of Cho's presence. He actually almost dropped his bag of chips, but he caught them just before they fell.

After making a relieved noise his eyes moved towards the boy that accompanied Cho. Taking the chance to move closer, I spotted curiosity in Chouji's small eyes.

"Who's this?" he inquired before shoving a handful of snacks in his mouth. After swallowing he added, "Is he your boyfriend?"

I nearly snorted at the very thought. Cho have a boyfriend? Of course she was a wonderful person and _very_ pretty, even as a girl I admitted that, but there was no way. It was **so** against her plans, which I knew well.

If things went according to what she had planned out for herself, she wouldn't have a boyfriend for another two years. However, I wasnt so sure how according-to-plan things had been going for her recently. I also wasn't sure how much she was telling me anymore, so as far as I knew she really _did_ have a boyfriend, and this guy was it.

"_Well_," the blonde stranger began with a smirk on is face, "I guess you could say we're--"

Cho's elbow found it's way to the other blonde's ribs.

Ignoring the white-clad boys pain, Cho replied, with a blush creeping quickly across her face, "No, he's nothing of the sort."

Chouji cocked an eyebrow as he just went on staring at Cho, expression blank. "Oh Shikamaru will **not** like this," Chouji murmured, most likely speaking to himself.

_No, he won't indeed,_ I silently agreed. Was it just Chouji and I who realized that the two had feelings for each other, or did others as well? Maybe it was everyone who saw them together, excluding themselves of course. Maybe Shikamaru was actually aware of the fact that he so-obviously had feelings for my best friend?

Maybe Cho had actually become aware of her own feelings but didn't tell me because she didn't want to be wrong! I didn't very much like that thought.

"Shikamaru?" the white-clad boy panted, finally straightening himself. "Who's that?" The white-clad boy looked from Cho, to Chouji, and back again. "Is _he_ your boyfriend?"

Again, I almost snorted. Those two were so oblivious! Of _course_ they weren't going out!

Right?

I began to worry. The other day it had become clear to me how little Cho and I told each other. When she mentioned her argument with Naruto I was stunned...and then I realized how long it had been since we spoke. And I mean _really_ spoken. We rarely saw each other ever since she entered the Academy.

"What?! No, of course not. I have _no_ boyfriend. At all!"

Cho was getting flustered just at the thought of Shikamaru and her together. Obviously her feelings were growing.

_How much longer can she go without realizing it?_ I wondered. She always blushed and stuttered when the subject of the Nara boy came up but...still...

_I miss talking to her. I miss telling her everything. I miss teasing her and...I miss seeing her. Things aren't the same...will they ever be? When she's an actual ninja, how often will she be away on missions? And as I get older, how much busier will I get with school? I **WANT** TO KNOW!!_

"Why won't someone tell me?" I whispered; if we hadn't been on a busy road the three I was listening in on would have heard and turned around. Luck was on my side, though, so no such thing happened.

"So then why would this Shikamaru guy care?" The white-clad boy asked; seeing Cho's completely confused expression he turned towards Chouji. I joined he and Cho in staring. Together we all stared, trying to wear him down until he answered. But he didn't. The boy just shrugged a bit.

"Well, I have to get going. See you around Cho," Chouji said.

"Yeah, yeah. Sayonara Chouji!"

Nothing else was said and Chouji walked off, heading towards me. I froze. He was going to see me. I wasn't hiding _At all_. I hadn't thought it necessary but now it seemed extremely so.

Chouji stopped right by me. I didn't listen to what Cho or the other boy said, just stood there holding my breath. There was no way Chouji didn't see me. Unless he was blind, he was waiting for the other two to walk away to talk to me or _something_

I had no clue that if I had been listening I would have heard some very interesting things. I just stood there like an idiot beside Chouji until the other blondes left.

"Konichiwa Emi," Chouji greeted. He popped a chip into his mouth. After all, he had gone quite a while without doing so, just to remain quiet.

"Konichiwa. I'm guessing you're wondering why I am standing here. It's actually a pretty funny story," I said, chucking.

Chouji just smiled at me and shook his head.

"So does Cho hang out with that guy a lot?"

"Who? The blonde? I've never seen him before..."

Chouji nodded. "I hope Shikamaru doesn't get angry...he isn't loud or anything when he's mad, just dreadfully quiet. He usually goes to watch the clouds but--"

"So you think Shikamaru likes Cho, huh?"

Chouji stared at me and blinked. "...Hai."

"Interesting. _Very_ interesting."

"Nani?"

"Never mind. I have to get home. It was nice running into you, even if it was only because I was eavesdropping!"

"You, too, Emi-chan!"

I grinned at him, saluted him, and then walked off.

Someday, I _would_ get Cho and Shikamaru together. And maybe, just maybe, I'd be able to get help from Chouji. But from the conversation I had just overheard, he didn't seem too willing to sell his best friend out.

"I will. I **will**!" I assured myself; a smirk came over my features and I twirled my loose hair around my index finger.

_And at least she doesn't have a boyfriend. At least I know she would have told me **that**. Plus, it leaves more fun for me._

* * *

When I got home I decided to start up a chart. On one side of the chart I would put the name(s) of all the (good) friends she had before entering the Academy, and on the other I would put, along with pictures (eventually) the names of all of her new friends.

With a large, black, permanent marker I began to write, on a thick poster board, the names of friends before the Academy.

Ex friends before

Ai  
Kira  
Jin  
Genju  
Hotaru  
Yuri  
Rin

Remaining Friends from Before  
Me (Emi)

"Wow...that's just pathetic," I whispered, looking at the chart as it was. My eyes lingered longest on the name Kira.

When we were younger, Kira hadn't been apart of the group she was now a part of--the one I just left. Cho and I had met her in a different way and kept her separate from our other friends--by her own wishes.

Wishes change though, and she decided, once Cho entered the Academy, that she wanted to hang with them. It was several years later, and we had grown apart as we had grown older.

Things had patched up between Kira and I, but between Kira and Cho things weren't the same. I doubted they even remembered each other, even though they had been almost as close as Cho and I were.

"Let's see, in Cho and mine's subgroup it was me, her, Kira, and...Noriko. Hm. I wonder what happened to her...maybe we'll see her again someday..."

I quickly added Noriko to the 'ex' friends list.

_I want...I want the four of us to get together again. Cho and I always had more fun with those two than with the others..._

Sighing, I flipped the poster board onto the other side and began writing the list.

New Friends

Naruto  
Hinata  
Chouji  
Shikamaru

"I'll have to add that boy later...and anyone else who pops up..."

_Upcoming mission...get pictures of all of her new friends..._

Yawning widely, I got up from my knees and walked towards my closed bedroom door. "Mom!" I called after opening it a crack. "I'm tired--I'm going to bed."

"But what about dinner?! I was thinking we could eat with your father! He should be home soon!"

"I'm not hungry! Just tell Dad 'hi' for me, okay?"

"But he's always at work! Wouldn't it be nice if you saw him?"

"I'm _exhausted_ Mom! Just make sure he's here when I wake up, okay?"

"Okay!" she said, resigned. "Oh! Speaking of people who are rarely around, guess who stopped by?" When I didn't take a guess she just finished by saying, "Cho!! She wanted to hang out..."

"Okay! Thanks for telling me, Ma! Love you, good-night!"

With that I closed the door and went to change into my pajamas. As I changed, a thought which I was very ashamed of ran through my head.

_I liked it better when Mom was always away...why isn't she anymore, anyway?_

Yawning again, I pulled my nightdress down and threw myself under my bed covers, easily falling into a deep sleep as I thought of my Friend-chart plans and plans for getting Cho and Shikamaru together.

I was in for more than I realized.

* * *

**a/n so how did you like? I wrote it all in one day!! be proud of me, be VERY proud. I just knew what I wanted to say and it all came out, unlike in some other stories. I'm glad about that. I hope you will leave a review, but if you don't it's okay I guess :) **


	7. Seventh Chapter

**a/n omgsh, it's been so long since I've updated my regular Naruto stories. I am SOOOO sorry my lovely fans! I've been working on original stpories and my InoxChouji thing!!**

**but don't worry, I'm gonna get back on task...mostly. I'm still working on my original story! and other fanfictions for other shows and such. sorry!!!**

**and oh, I have NO clue if I've said anywhere when Cho mmoved to Konoha, so I'm making it up now. if I said it anywhere els,e in this story or BP, I'll change that one.**

**anyway, I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY THAT I HAVEM'T UPDATED ANYTHING!!! It's summer vacation now, and I've been busy with other things. also, my Naruto mood sort of...well, it diminished. but now it's back, sorta, and I'll try to update a whole lot more!!**

**and thanks to Crazy-Neko-girl who sent me a P.m. if she hadn't I would have forgotten to put this chapter up. so, anyone who likes this, please thank her or else you wouldn't have been able to read it.**

* * *

_Cherry Blossom_ _Kiss_

_**Chapter Seven--'Quality' Time**_

_**--()--**_

"Okay...and...done!" Kira exclaimed, throwing the marker down on the ground. She and I both inspected the poster carefully. It wasn't the prettiest thing in the We didn't have time to mess around anymore. The science project was due in one day, and neither of us would be available again.

"Well, glad that's over with," I breathed, throwing myself down on the couch. "Now we can move on with our lives."

"Yeah," Kira agreed, plopping down beside me.

We both sat in silence beside each other, thoughtful. It was as if we didn't know what to _do_ with ourselves now that the Science Fair project. Secretly, I found it was the only thing that really allowed us to hang out together. The others...they probably wouldn't approve of Kira still being friends with me.

Speaking of the others...

"So, Kira! How've the others been?" I asked perkily, turning so that I faced my dark-haired friend.

Kira gave a half-hearted shrug. "They've been fine. But, oh, you should hear how they talk about you." Kira shuddered. "They're vicious, they really are. They didn't even talk about _Cho_ that badly."

I cocked an eyebrow. "They talked about Cho?" I didn't really remember them talking about her, just sniffing in disdain when she was mentioned.

"Oh yeah! They didn't do it while you were around because you're her friend...still. But when you werent around...they'd bad mouth her all the time. It made me quite uncomfortable."

"What did they say?"

"All sorts of things! But please, I'd rather not revisit them. Again, it made me quite uncomfortable."

Emi nodded in agreement. "Fair enough. I suspect you wouldn't want to tell what they say about me, either, then?"

Kira shook her head, loose hair hitting her cheeks. Both of us remained silent for another moment, staring absently at whatever happened to be ahead of us.

"So, are you sure she doesn't remember me?" Kira questioned, breaking the silence.

"Yup," I said hesitantly. Blinking, I shook my head. "It probably isn't so much that as it is she doesn't recognize you. I mean, we never really saw you in school once we grew up. And you just...changed, kind of. I'm sure she remembers you deep down, but she probably pushed it to the back of her memory. Maybe if she saw you holding a picture of your younger self she'd remember."

"Maybe. But when would I get the chance to see her?"

"Ill arrange something, don't worry."

"Okay," Kira smiled; it was obvious she wanted her old friend back after having not spoken to her for so long. "But not too soon. I have other stuff to worry about currently."

"Yeah, me too."

Again, we were silent. We both started thinking about the old days, when we were little kids and hung out by the river with each other and we'd run around the town, our mothers close behind.

I missed those days. Things had been far more peaceful back then, much more enjoyable. Things became confusing with age. Emotions, boys...I shuddered, not liking to think about it.

"Do you ever wonder what happened to...us? I mean, we were all such close friends. You, me, Cho, and Noriko."

"Simple," I began lazily. "We grew up. Noriko moved, and you didn't want to hang out with Cho, me and me anymore because we hung out with the others."

Kira shifted guiltily in her seat. "I wish I hadn't been so stubborn," she murmured. "I could have pretended to like Ai and everyone."

"It's good that you didn't pretend. I was for a while...but why couldn't you hang out with us? You were always _busy_ when Cho and I came around. I mean, seriously, what could you be doing so often at age nine?"

"I think I was actually younger than that," Kira meekly corrected.

"Whatever! You couldn't have been too much younger! I mean, Cho only moved here when she was four and we only met you when we were five! And then we didn't really go to _school_ until we were...what? Eight?"

"Seven."

"Whatever! I was probably eight early on!"

Kira giggled to herself and I couldn't help but grin at myself. I couldn't help being humorous.

"So..." Kira began after another silence. "It's getting late...ish."

I nodded. "Yeah, I should be getting home. I'll see you around, Kira!"

Pushing myself to my feet, I waved good bye to my friend and headed out the door. Outside, the sun was just setting. I smiled as I walked down the dirt roads of Konoha, headed towards my far away house.

As I walked, I got to thinking. I hadn't seen Tenten, Lee, or Neji all day, which was strange because they had a tendency of showing up wherever I went.

_They probably had a mission_ I told myself passively, quickening my pace as the sky got darker. _It's no big deal. I'm sure I'll see them tomorrow. _

I couldn't help but feel disappointed though. I liked seeing them and spending time with them. To me, it didn't matter that I had just recently met them and barely knew them. They were my friends. Well, Tenten and Lee were anyway. I still had the feeling that Neji felt nothing but disdain for me.

_That's okay. Not everyone can like me. And besides, maybe some day he won't hate me. Not that it matters, though, _I quickly added, for my own sake of course. In truth, I knew I wanted him to think of me as at _least_ an **acquaintance**. That way I could learn more about him. He interested me more than the others. There was just something about him...

I sighed. In the meantime, while I waited for Neji to act civilly towards me and the apocalypse to come, I'd just have to get the nicer two better so we could all be better friends.

After all, I desperately needed friends, and they were the perfect people to _be_ friends with.

I could see their colors, unhidden and shining bright.

[--- 

It was getting annoying, eating all by myself every day at lunch. But what could I do? I didn't know anyone in the school, really, but my previous friends. And it wasnt as if I could drag Kira to come sit with me--the others didn't really know we were still friends. Otherwise they'd probably shun her, too, though they hadn't done that to me when Cho left.

Sighing, I finished up my lunch and stood to leave the cafeteria. On my way out, Kira and I sent each other small smiles as way of greeting.

Genju started to follow Kira's gaze, but I disappeared before she could spot me; I didn't want Kira to be thrown out of the group if she didn't want to be.

Honestly, though, I didn't understand why on earth she'd **want** to stay. They were jerks, every last one of them. And I was so glad to no longer be associated with them. People, who had never really been mean to me, were being much nicer.

I had never known the people at the school to really have such nice people. Sure, I never thought they were _mean_ but...

"I like this freedom," I muttered to myself, opening my locker. I quickly exchanged my morning books for my afternoon books and closed the locker door gently.

"Agh!" I screamed upon turning. A smiling girl stood incredibly close to me where no one had been previously.

"Konichiwa," the girl greeted perkily.

"Konichiwa," I greeted, rubbing my temple. "Who, exactly, are you? And why is it that you're standing there?"

The girl shrugged. Im not exactly sure why I'm here, I just am. But as for my name, it's Akihiko," she replied cheerily.

"Akihiko? Isn't that...?"

"A guy's name? Yeah. But I like it." Akihiko smiled warmly at me before looking over her shoulder at a clock hanging on the wall. "I have to get going. Sayonara!"

I waved at the girl before sighing and heading towards my next class. My mind kept straying back to the strange girl I had just met. As nice as she seemed, I hoped that she wouldn't appear again; I had enough to juggle around. Somehow though, I knew that I'd be seeing a whole lot more of her in the weeks to come.

[--- 

"I'm going out now, Ma!" I called my hand on the brass doorknob as I said so; there was no answer.

I furrowed my eyebrows together before calling out again, "Ma! I'm leaving! I don't know when I'll be back!"

Nothing. I was tempted to just leave and let her worry about me, but my conscience talked me out of it. Slowly, I retreated from the door and briefly looked around for my mom. She was nowhere to be found, which was odd. As much as I didn't really like her hanging around the house, I had grown used to it. It was strange for her not to be home.

I didn't worry about it though. She was okay. She was probably just painting the town red with her friends; by knitting probably. Or whatever it was that they did.

Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen, I left a note for her on the kitchen counter and left.

It was sweltering hot out in Konoha. I decided to go down to the river and wade in the river. I didn't usually go down to the river banks by myself, but I had no time to find Cho wherever she may be. It was too hot. I had only been outside for a total of three minutes and my loose tank top was already sticky with sweat, and my shorts stuck to my thighs.

Rolling an elastic off my wrist, I pulled all my thick, golden blonde hair, into a high ponytail so as to get it all off my neck.

The rest of my walk through Konoha to my favorite place went by in a flash. The next thing I knew, my teeth were chattering as I slowly walked through in the river.

Body temperature is a fickle thing. One moment you feel as if you'll die of a heat stroke, and the next thing you know your body is clammy and you're numb with cold.

That's how I was. It was surprising how quickly it changed for me, though. My toe had barely ruined the still surface when a chill went up my spine and I was left shivering.

Despite that, I decided to wade in the water. I only stopped when the water rippled at my knees. I hugged my arms across my chest, rubbing my arms so that I could feel warmth in my blood again.

Just as the feeling was returning, the little kids walking around with floaties decided that it would be fun to splash me. At first I walked away from easily, not trying to do anything but dodge. The splashes got bigger though; I soon had to run.

So I did. I ran until the water was past the hem of my shorts and then stopped to look back at them. They had stopped chasing me a while ago, it seemed. Triumphant, I threw a fist in the air and grinned; I didn't seem to notice that the current had quickened and my footing was slowly being lost.

Then it happened. The current became too much for me and began pulling me down. I gasped for breath as I bobbed up and down the river, moving farther and farther away from where we started.

_I blame the kids_ I muttered inside myself, pushing a stray hair from where it was plastered to my face.

_Plunk! _

A small waterfall came up. I fell down it, once again plunging down into the water; this time I didn't think I'd come back up. My feet and hands felt too heavy to move; prying my eyes open, I saw that I was sinking to the bottom of a deep pool of water.

Desperate, I began flapping my arms wildly as my feet kicked of their own accord.

Finally, my head popped out of the water; I gasped for breath as I swam to the edge of the pool. I sat for a while before getting to my feet and walking over to a large rock; I sprawled out on top of the boulder, allowing the sun to eat away the water that clung to me.

As I fell asleep sunbathing, I heard the roaring of a waterfall, and I immediately knew where I was.

The same place where I had been taken by Team Gai when they had saved me from the bandits in the woods.

Which made me think of the three Genin. Tenten, Lee...Neji.

I was glad to have them. Tenten and Lee, though I barley knew them, were great friends. Neji was...well, he was there physically, but we were total strangers to each other. That was okay; I knew not everyone could like me. Just take a look at Ai, Genju, and the others. They quickly turned on me, and I was fine on it.

Not everyone could like me right away, I knew; a good portion of he time they wouldn't like me at all. Or even worse, we'd be friends and then turn on each other. I was used to the idea, but there was one problem with the whole thing.

The one person I cared about liking me didn't care whether or not I was breathing.

[--- 

"Emi? Emi? Emi, what are you doing here?"

Pause.

"Emi, are you okay?"

"Tenten, let me try," said another familiar voice. "Emi-san, wake up."

Pause.

"Humph. It didn't work."

"Really? I wasn't aware of that," the first voice sarcastically commented. "Seriously, why would she wake up to **you** and not me?"

"I don't know. Maybe she likes me better."

The first person snorted. "Yeah. Okay."

"Tenten! That isn't very nice!"

"Well it's true!"

At that point I let of a cough and slowly allowed my eyelids to lift. I sat up to see Tenten and Lee standing on either side of me, bickering.

Neji was kneeling beside the pool of water, letting the blue water run through his fingers. I watching him curiously, a small smile on my lips.

"Emi? Yay, you're awake! So tell me, who woke you up?"

"You both did, truthfully. Why must you constantly quarrel?"

"We don't!" Lee insisted. He sat down at my side and smiled at me. "So what brings you to this nick of the woods?"

"Well," I began, blushing. "I went down to the river, and this little kid started splashing me. So I ran away, and then...well, then the river carried me here."

Tenten stifled a laugh with her fist for my sake, and Lee grinned. I blushed an even deeper red when I saw Neji, kneeling beside the pool of water, roll his eyes at me.

I sighed and stretched back out on the rock, basking under the sun. I didn't know how long I lay there, completely still, but it didn't seem to matter. I was no dryer than I had been when I first came out of the water, though the rock certainly was a _whole_ lot wetter.

"Hey, Emi-chan? Are you hungry?" Lee asked. He had moved off of the rock and was seated, cross legged, on the ground. Neji and Tenten sat with him, forming a small circle. In the middle of the circle there was an assortment of food, and suddenly, I felt my mouth water and my stomach grumble.

"No, I couldn't eat your food..." I mumbled, wiping my mouth and averting my eyes.

Tenten just stared at me, blinking. "You cant fool us, Emi. I heard your stomach growl. Now come on down. We're _Asking_ you to join us. We wouldn't offer if we didn't want your company. Isn't that right, Neji?" Tenten looked over at the Hyuuga with a giggle.

"...Humph," he grunted, carefully placing rice in his mouth with his chopsticks.

"I _said_ **Isn't-that-right**?"

Neji was unfazed by Tenten's words, but Lee, who she hadnt even been talking to, was.

"Y-yes, sir! I mean ma'am!" Lee stuttered, saluting Tenten, thus dropping his chopsticks in the dirt.

Tenten and I both laughed at his fidgety actions, though Tenten laughed much harder.

"So," she began after calming down, "please come eat with us. There's more food than we can eat."

"Well..."

Lee got up and dragged me off the rock, placing me on the ground beside him. He handed me a pair of chopsticks and a container of rice.

"Eat," he ordered. Suddenly every container of food was being shoved at me. I stared at it all in disbelief before taking the contained of chicken and adding some to my rice. After that, I shoved it all away and awkwardly began to eat my food.

"So, once we're done here, I need to go talk to Gai-sensei," Tenten said as way of starting conversation. "And Lee, you're coming with me."

"What?! Why?! I want to stay with Emi-chan!"

Tenten cocked an eyebrow. "And here I was, thinking you'd be pleased. I thought you _adored_ Gai-sensei."

"I **do**! He's so smart, so talented...so amazing! It's just..."

"Yeah, yeah. That's nice. You'll see her around later. I need a translator though."

"A...translator?" Lee asked, clearly confused.

"Yeah. You always understand what Gai-sensei is talking about, and I don't. I need you to translate for me."

Lee's eyes went wide. "You...don't understand him?" he inquired, his lower lip quivering.

Tenten shrugged. "Only sometimes. Now come on! We should get going soon. Nighttime is quickly approaching."

Tenten and Lee shoveled in the rest of their food. In just a few moments, they were up and ready to go. Lee began walking towards the forest, waving at me. I waved in return, then turned my attention towards the other two members of the team.

Tenten had her hands on her hips and she stared down at the Hyuuga fiercely.

"I expect for you to take care of Emi while Lee and I are gone, okay?"

"Shouldn't I be coming with you, if this is a team matter?" Neji asked in reply to her question.

"No. This isn't really a team matter. Besides, I don't know if Emi knows her way back home from here, or what. She isn't injured or sick, far as I can see, but who knows. She could need something. And if she does, I expect _you_ to give it to her, understood?"

"...Humph."

"Good!" Tenten turned away from the long-haired boy and knelt down beside me. "If you need anything, you can count on him. He may be distant and everything, but he's very reliable. And besides," Tenten giggled, glancing over at him, "he can do just about anything."

With that, she stood back up and left, waving good-bye to us as she did so.

I awkwardly stared down at my bare knees, clawing at them with my nails. As I sat there, silent and still, I felt Neji's pale eyes on me. It made my face redden, and I looked at me knees even harder.

"Do you know your way back home from here?" he eventually asked.

I shrugged unsurely. "I would if I could follow the river, but there's a wall of dirt that I won't be able to climb. I don't know how to get around it."

"Hm."

I didn't say anything after that, though I did eventually stand up and move towards a large waterfall. It fell into the large pool of water from the end opposite of the one I fell from.

Looking at the huge one, the other looked so tiny, though the plummet had felt huge. I shuddered to think what it would be like to fall from the tall one; I'd probably die.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, I turned my head. Immediately, my eyes fell on Neji, who still sat where he had been when I left him, seemingly deep in thought.

"Um, Hyuuga-san?" I squeaked, approaching him cautiously.

He looked at me through his pale eyes with an expression I could only guess was tired, since his face was impossible to read.

"I'll clean up the food, if you're done. Just tell me where it should all go."

He blinked at me before sighing lightly. "It would go in Tenten's bag, but she stupidly left with it before cleaning everything up."

"Oh. Um...should I just..._carry_ at all back then?"

Neji stared at me, as if trying to see whether or not I was serious.

"No, that won't be necessary," he replied, turning away.

"Oh, um. Okay..." I paused, then opened my mouth to ask him where it should go then. Just as I was about to, however, he turned back towards me, his pale eyes staring at me hard, and I chickened out. So I decided to just clean it all up and then figure it out for myself.

Getting onto my hands and knees, I crawled over to the food and began tidying up. Neji watched for a moment before standing up and walking away to the pool.

I stacked cardboard container over into cardboard container, into cardboard container. I took chopsticks over to the water and rinsed them off. I even went so far as to pick up the dropped food from the ground and throw it into the top container.

When I finished, I gently placed all the chopsticks on top of the closed top container. Then I sat there beside them, feeling dreadfully cowardly. With just one piercing look from those eyes, I was left unable to speak. I couldn't even thread two words together inside my head, afraid that he'd somehow see them.

Finally, Neji turned around and asked, "You done?"

I nodded, still unable to open my mouth, and he came and put it all in his bag. Then, without another glance, he walked off and sat by the water again. I fell back in the dirt, supporting my head with my hands. Opening my mouth, I wet my lips and finally said, "You know you don't really have to stay around, right? I could find a way home, through the woods or something."

It took so long for Neji to reply that I was afraid that I hadn't actually said anything aloud at all.

Finally though, he said, "Last time I caught you walking alone through the woods, you almost got killed by bandits. If that happened again, Tenten would kill _me_," he replied so quietly I almost didn't hear.

"Oh." I paused, waiting for my blush to go away, just in case he decided to turn around, though I doubted it. "Are you afraid of Tenten or something?"

I knew I was at times.

Neji snorted somewhat as way of his response.

"Oh. Then why are you listening to her?"

"It is my duty as a ninja to assist and protect weak commoners such as yourself."

_Weak?_ my face flamed up. I stared at the ground, finding myself sort of ashamed. So, he saw me as weak? That probably explained the way he looked at me. I had already gotten the feeling he disapproved of me. But still, I was hoping that I was wrong about that. After all, I wasn't always that great at reading between the lines, so it was always possible.

I wasn't exactly sure why I cared so much, but there was this voice in the back of my head that always wanted for him to approve of me. Ever sine I met him, ever since I realized that he didn't like me, I made a goal for myself.

"Oh well. I still have time. I can still succeed! I exclaimed, holding my fist in the air and staring up at the sky. I hadn't even realized I sat up.

Neji glanced over at me, blinking. "What are you talking about?"

The heat in my face grew. I shook my head vigorously before burying my face in my knees.

I felt Neji lift his gaze off of me. A moment later, a felt a shadow fall over me. Slowly, I looked up and found Neji staring down at me.

"Come on. Let's go," he ordered.

"Oh, are you sure? You don't want to...I don't know, train or something. Because if you do, I could just wait for you to--"

"It's getting dark," he said simply, then turned.

I didn't know if that was supposed to explain why we should be leaving or why he wasnt training. Not that it really mattered anyway. He said we were leaving, and that was that.

I struggled to my feet. Neji saw me getting up, but didn't offer any assistance. He just waited for me to get up, then headed right off into the woods.

I followed along behind him, leaving a good three feet between him and me.

Or I did, anyway, until I saw something moving through the bushes. After that, I gave a jump, and ran to catch up, unconsciously clinging to the back of his bag.

He glanced over his shoulder and me and smirked. I caught a sight of his eyes and read a simple word: _Coward_

It hurt, I'll tell you that. After that, I let go of his bag, but I didn't let myself lag behind anymore, just in case anything popped up.

_I'd never survive as a kunoichi_.

We walked along peacefully for a few minutes. After that, though, things got a little...stirred up.

There was the rustling in the bushes again. My stomach flipped, but I refrained from grabbing onto Neji's bag. In fact, I decided to fall back a few steps.

_That_ was a mistake.

The moment I fell back, I felt someone grab me around the waist. A hand was clamped over my mouth.

I felt my skin turn could and my heart almost stop beating.

Neji must have noticed the absence of my jittery presence, because he stopped in his tracks. I didn't know what he was doing, just assumed he was standing there.

I blinked, and he was gone.

_Chicken?! He calls **me** a chicken? I didn't run away!!_

That was where I was wrong.

Neji had somehow gotten behind whoever was holding me in my place. He must of done something, because suddenly the man grunted, and his arms fell away.

Eyes wide with tears streaming down my cheeks--which I found out later--I spun around. Neji was staring at me , eyes flashing.

I stared at him in turn, confused.

Finally, he spat out, obviously annoyed I couldn't read his eyes, "Run! Hide!"

I did so without a second thought. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I ran until I lost my breath--and my footing. Then I hid. I dove behind a tree, leaning against the trunk, breathing heavily.

_Oh, crap. I left him all by himself. Why didn't I at least stick around for a little bit? He must think Im a real wimp now._

_But why do you **care** what he thinks?! He's just a narrow-minded jerk. What he says shouldn't affect you_, a small voice in the back of my head whispered.

_I-I don't know! There's just something about him..._

_What part is that? The miniscule part of him that isn't mean?_ the small voice said.

"You're right! I have better things to do with my time than wait for his approval! I barely know him, and have no desire to! I don't need him!"

_Oh, but I do want to know him..._

I stifled a sob and buried my face in my knees, hugging my legs close to my chest.

And that was how a scratched-up Neji found my many moments later.

"You run fast," was all he said.

I turned my head so that one violet eye showed through. "Thanks."

I blinked then buried my face back in my knees. He made no move to make me move, but I could tell he was annoyed. That's why, finally, I got up, afraid of what he'd do if I took too long. I didn't know him well; I didn't know what he'd do.

"Come on," he mumbled, glancing at me. "And stay close this time."

It was weird to hear him say that, and despite myself, I felt my heart begin to race. I followed along right behind him, so close that, if I reached out, I'd have more than enough room to touch.

"This is taking too long," Neji mumbled to himself. He then turned towards me. "Hold onto my backpack."

He gave no explanations, and I didn't wait for one. I grabbed his backpack tightly. Next thing I knew, we were off, jumping through the air. I felt like a rag doll, flapping around off the back like that. And off course, by the time we landed back into town, I felt sick. Holding my stomach, I looked up at Neji and asked, "Who was that guy, back in the forest?"

"Bandit."

_Vague, much?_ "Oh, okay."

"Can you get home from here?"

"Um...yeah, I guess."

"Good."

"Well, um, thanks for...getting me back here."

"Hm."

"Bye!"

"...Humph."

I waved, watched him for a minute, then walked slowly off back towards my house.

_Hello, mister monosyllable._

It annoyed me that he would barley say more than two words to me, but for some reason, I liked it at the same time. It gave him an air or...mystic, or something.

Or snootiness.

Either one.

* * *

**a/n hm.**

**ha ha. I took Neji's line!so, I feel like that was totally OOC. please, someone tell me so I know for future chapters what to consider OC and not OOC for Neji's character!. I hate OOC-ness, and I want to fix it. so if you think it was ooc, send me a message, saying what about it was.Um, so sorry again for taking so long xD**

**anyway! Ciao!**

**--StEpPiNg StOnEs**


	8. Eighth Chapter

**a/n**so it's been a couple of months since this story has been updated. forgive me? I'm sorry. most of us go to school, so you can understand that I am busy. plus, for a while, I wans't in the mood, but now...now I'm in a NARUTO FRENZY!!!! WHOOOOO! lol. anyway. enjoy the chapter, kay?

* * *

Cherry BlossomKiss

_**Chapter Eight--Catching Up**_

**----**

As soon as I got to school the next day, I was practically attacked by Akihiko, the girl I met at my locker the day before. "Konichiwa, Emi-chan!" she squealed, bouncing up to me with the biggest smile on her face. Her red-violet eyes were bright as she stared into my violet ones. I somehow managed a weak smile.

"Hi," I said in return. I stared in what I hoped was a discreet way at her, as she stared back at me in the most blatantly obvious way. Her hair was short and the color of a pink rose. Maybe that was why she wore it the way she did. On either side of her head she had some of her hair swirled up so that it looked like she had roses in her hair. It actually looked pretty nice, even if you didn't disregard the pink glass balls that were on the elastics.

"How are you?" she asked brightly after a moment.

"I'm...fine. How are you?"

"Great!" Akihiko chirped, throwing her arms in the air. There was a tinkling sound with the movement. Around her neck she wore a red ribbon with a jingle bell. It had come out from beneath her school blouse.

"Whoops," she said sheepishly, tucking it back in. "I hope no teachers saw that." She laughed.

"That wouldn't be good," I said with a grimace. _This sure is awkward_ I said to myself as I searched the courtyard for Kira.

"Who are you looking for?" Akihiko inquired, cocking her head to the side. I glanced over at her.

"Kira," I replied simply.

"I'll find her for you!" she exclaimed. Before I could protest, she had disappeared. I heaved a sigh.

_Well she sure is an interesting person..._ I said to myself with a sigh. _Though she seems nice enough. Why is she suddenly, like, __**stalking**__ me though? _

"Here she is!"

I jumped. I hadn't expected that loud, high-pitched noise. Turning though, I found Akihiko had returned with Kira by her side.

"Konichiwa, Emi," Kira said. "What's up?"

"Nothing...I just wanted to say 'hi' is all. Is it okay for you to be here?" I added under my breath.

Kira arched an eyebrow and laughed. "Yeah; it's fine. They won't even notice I'm missing."

I smiled slightly as I looked over at the group I had abandoned. There were those shades of gray again, all standing together and making one huge lump of it. Ridiculous. I glanced back at Kira, who seemed to know what I was thinking and shrugged.

"So...I'll see you around, okay? After school?"

"Definitely," I replied with a short nod. Kira smiled brightly and then ran back to join the others. I felt Akihiko's eyes on me as I rummaged through my backpack and I looked over at her curiously.

"Can I help you?" I inquired, none too politely.

Akihiko was unfazed by my blatant rudeness. Instead, she merely smiled at me again, remaining silent for a while. Then, before the bell even rang, the pink-haired girl said, "Come one. Let's go get our stuff from our lockers. We'll want to beat the crowds."

It seemed reasonable, so I followed her. As soon as I got to my locker, and Akihiko had disappeared to hers, the bell rang.

"Freaky..." I said to myself, packing my books into my bag. Sighing once more, I slammed my locker shut and headed towards class. I half expected for Akihiko to show up again as I turned into my classroom, but she didn't, and I was left, once more, alone with my thoughts, which, considering what they had been focusing on lately, wasnt good.

---

At lunch she was there again. I hadn't even sat down yet, and, in the blink of an eye, she was there with her tray in her hands.

"Konichiwa, Emi-chan!" she chirped, inviting herself to sit with me. Not that that was a bad thing--I liked the company. It was just...polite to ask, you know?

"Konichiwa Akihiko," I said in return.

"How were your classes?"

"Fine. Yours?"

"Great! I really enjoyed History today. We're learning some interesting things about the other countries, don't you think?"

"Um...yeah."

"What Hidden Village are you most interested in? I, personally, am torn between The Hidden Village of Clouds and The Hidden Village of Rocks."

"Uh...Hidden Waterfall Village I guess."

"Do you think that myth about the Hidden Village of Moonlight is true?"

"...What myth?"

"Have you not gotten to that yet?"

"We haven't really learned anything about that village in my class..."

"Well the story is..." Akihiko stopped suddenly, contemplating whether or not she should go on. I stared at her, suddenly very interested. I loved stories of all sorts, and I had a feeling that this would be a good one.

"You know what, I'll let you read about it yourself."

"Oh, come on!" I whined. Akihiko laughed. Her smile fell suddenly though and, staring blankly at the wall, she said, "Ai is coming over."

I looked over; Ai was still seated at the table.

"She's mad about something. Better be careful." The pink-haired girl winked.

I stared at her blankly. "She isn't even moving. How could you know this?"

Akihiko shrugged. "Let's just say I have a sixth sense."

Well apparently, she did, because not three minutes later, Ai was towering over me, her face contorted with rage.

"Where do you get off?" she hissed, her eyes narrowed and burning with a hatred deeper than her.

"...Get off what?" I asked, giving her an odd look. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"You know."

"Uh..._no_."

Ai grunted something under her breath. "Fine. I'll make this easy for you. Where do you get _off_ telling people that we are worthless slime balls?!"

"Uh...two things. One, who is 'we'? And two: I never said that."

_To anyone, _I added in my head, barely stifling a snicker.

"'We' is me and my friends. And yes you did! Stop playing dumb!"

"Who says I'm playing?"

Ai was steaming. "I just want to know what you think you are _doing_ telling people that?! You're just making your life a whole lot more difficult. And let me break something to you--_you're one of us_. So before you go spreading lies about us again, consider that."

She went to walk away, looking triumphant, but I couldn't leave it at that. I grabbed a large chicken wing from my tray and hurled it at her head.

It came up a little short, but that didn't keep Ai from screaming and flipping me off.

"Don't worry," Akihiko said gently after a few minutes. "You aren't one of them. You're different. And so is Kira. She just hasn't realized it yet."

"...How did you know that was what I was thinking about?"

She shrugged. "Sixth sense." She paused and furrowed her brow. "Did you really not say that to anyone though?"

"_Really_,"I replied.

She frowned and stared down at her salad. "How...odd..."

"Tell me about it. But, that's Ai for you."

Akihiko laughed.

"Look, I've got to go, but...I'd like to get to know you," she said, smiling shyly.

I cocked a brow. "_Me_? Why?"

Akihiko shrugged. "You're different, remember?"

And with that, she was gone again.

---

Kira caught up with me at my lock after school, positively glowing with laughter. It was in her smile, in her eyes, and glowing in her skin.

"What you did to Ai today in the cafeteria..." she whispered excitedly. "That was hilarious!"

"Yeah, I guess so. But it didn't even hit her."

"According to her it did."

"But she's a liar."

Kira shrugged. "Still, it was hilarious seeing her in such a...a...a _tizzy_!"

I smiled weakly. "Look," I began, closing my locker. "You don't think...I'm not...I _am_ different from her and the others, right? I don't just **think** I am, do I?"

Kira laughed. "Did she say that you were 'one of us'?"

I hesitantly nodded.

Kira laughed harder. "No, you are definitely different from us. But don't worry--in a good way."

"Being different from them in _any_ way is good," I said bitterly.

Kira frowned suddenly, and I gave her a curious look.

She said nothing, but then it hit me: she thought I had just dissed her.

"Kira--you aren't like them either!" I insisted.

She was convinced.

"Seriously. You aren't stuck up at all. You care about things other than clothes and shopping! Youre different!"

Kira shrugged. "Come on; let's head out."

"I'll meet you there," I said slowly. The green-eyes girl gave me an odd look, and I shook my head.

"This will only take a couple of minutes."

"Okay!" Kira exclaimed with a grin. She nodded at me and then hurried out of the school. I stood, leaning against my locker, for a few minutes, hugging my backpack close to me.

I didn't have a sixth sense or anything, but still I knew that in any minute Akihiko would appear.

And I was right.

I blinked, and the next thing I knew she was bounding up to me, smiling.

"You waited for me, I see," she observed.

"Hai," I responded. "I figured you'd be coming."

"You're catching on," she laughed, flicking her bangs out of her eyes.

I shrugged. "I guess so."

"So how was your afternoon?"

"Fine. I'm going to hang out with Kira, but I figured I could say good-bye to you, first."

Akihiko smiled. "That's nice," she stated. "You know, I didn't think you really liked me yesterday. Or this morning."

"Well...It wasn't that, it was just...well, I didn't get why you kept coming up to me. I thought you seemed nice, it's just..." I didn't finish.

"It's just what?" Akihiko asked, not sounding at all offended.

"Well, you kind of...crept me out."

Akihiko barked with laughter. "Not anymore though? I must say you adjust faster than most. It usually takes weeks for people!"

I smiled sheepishly. "I'm not totally used to it."

She nodded. "Anyway, I'll let you go now."

"Okay. Thanks."

With a quick wave, a said goodbye to the pink-haired girl and rushed outside to meet up with Kira.

---

"Emi!" I heard a familiar voice call.

I whirled around, my pigtails whipping at my face. "Oh, konichiwa, Cho-chan," I greeted, a baffled look on my face. I don't know who I expected.

"Konichiwa!" Cho trilled, smiling brightly at me. I must've still been donning a confused look on my face because her smile quickly fell. I felt guilty, sensing suddenly what she wanted.

"Remember...you agreed that we could talk. I'm free. You said to me that day, and I quote, _when you're free I'll make some time. _"

"Yeah but..." I stuttered. What was a good excuse? Surely she'd understand that I had made other plans and hadn't been expecting her. But then again, I **had** said I'd make time...

"You promised!"

_Jeez, she's acting like a little kid_, I said in my mind. It was true. Cho never got agitated when people contradicted themselves--which happened often. Especially with me.

"Look, Cho! I'm sorry! It's just...Kira and I made plans together."

"...Kira?" Cho looked thoughtful, like she was trying to pin-point who exactly Kira was.

"I'm so sorry, Cho! I thought maybe you'd try to catch me in the morning before I made my plans!"

"It's okay...tomorrow. We could talk tomorrow..." Cho replied dispiritedly after heaving a sigh.

"Sure! Then it will have been a...week since we've talked last. God, has it really been that long?"

My smile vanished at that. _Please, _I prayed, _don't let me and Cho drift apart. Not that I think that's happening, _I quickly added for my own benefit. _But still..._

"So...I guess I'll be going off then," Cho slowly said, her foot hovering above the ground; she was hesitating.

"Yup. Tomorrow."

"I'll see you then!"

"Yup! I'll stop by your house in the morning! After all, I have no school on Saturdays!" I exclaimed.

"That's the one thing I miss about this school," Cho laughed as she looked over her shoulder at me. I laughed hollowly in return.

I watched Cho for a moment before going over to Kira and started talking to her. I felt so guilty about abandoning my best friend that I decided that there had to be some way that I could see her another time.

"Oh, go ahead!" Kira exclaimed. "You never get to see her anymore! You see me all the time in school!" She laughed. "And we can hang out any old time. She's so bus with training and stuff..."

"Are you sure?" I asked uncertainly.

"Positive," Kira said with a firm nod.

I smiled gratefully. "Thanks Kira!" I hugged her.

"No problem. Just...don't mention me too much, yet, okay? I still have other things to worry about."

" Of course!" I responded. "Well...bye..."

I waved and then sprinted off, my backpack jiggling as I ran around Konoha. If only I had watched her for a bit longer. Maybe then I'd know where she was headed.

I stopped for a moment to look around. There was no sign of her. Sighing, I took off again, keeping my eyes peeled.

And then I spotted her, off talking to...

"Ha!" I barked. There she was, talking to Chouji and _Shikamaru_.

I ran the last yard or so over and jumped up at Shikamaru's side.

"Hey," I rasped, glancing up at her from where I was keeled over, catching my breath.

"...Hi?" Cho unsurely replied, eyebrow cocked.

"Sorry. Ran all the way here. Had trouble finding you. Let me...catch my breath." Each word was its own gasp. I tried keeping my voice steady, but I failed so miserably I actually made it worse.

"So, hi. Again," I greeted cheerily. I stared confusedly at a non-eating Chouji and Shikamaru, both of whom were staring at me. Was there something on my face, I wondered?

"Chouji! Shikamaru! Long time no see!" I grinned at them and winked at Shikamaru; he scowled.

"So anyway! Kira said that I should hang out with you! She said that we never get to hang out with each other and I can hang out with her all the time at school! So how about it? Let's go talk, like you wanted to! That is," and I cast a sly look at Shikamaru then turned my gaze back to Cho, the same look on my face, "if you don't mind leaving these two."

"I don't mind leaving them. No offense to you two!" She added quickly.

I stifled a laugh, spotting the look on Shikamaru's face. He thought he hid his feeling so well, but he actually looked a little disappointed. But, of course, while Chouji noticed it as well, Cho didn't have the slightest clue.

Chouji smiled amiably at Cho and shook his head. "No, that's okay. We just saw you and decided to say hi..."

"Okay! See you two later! Sayonara!" Cho called as I dragged her off by her wrists.

Winking again at the lazy boy, I called back, "Sayonara Shikamaru-kun! See you later, Chouji!"

I didn't release Cho until we were down the steps and by the river--our childhood hang out. We never sat down, which was unusual. Usually we sat at the first available bench, but this time we just walked silently, side-by-side, down the river, enjoying each other's company.

I broke the silence by looking over at Cho, breaking into a smile, and exclaiming, "You curled your hair!"

"Yeah, I did. Does it look good?" Cho inquired, grabbing one of her dyed-blonde pigtails.

"Mm-hmm!"

The smile was still there.

"Good. Shikamaru commented and he made it sound like it looked bad."

"Oh, my gosh!! Shikamaru noticed you did something with your hair?! That's _soooo_ cute!" I gushed.

"Um, whatever you say Emi," Cho snorted, giving me an odd look. But she couldn't fool me; the blush was there, quite visible on her face.

"So what did he say, exactly?" I rolled my eyes.

"Something like _'What's with the curls'_. And then when I told him I wanted a change of pace he said something about how troublesome doing that would be and he didn't understand why girls did it."

I frowned in concentration, though Cho seemed under the impression that I no longer found it cute. That wasnt it though. It was just that Shikamaru wasnt easily read as most guys were. _And_ he was just as stubborn on the subject as Cho was.

"It's still adorable that he noticed! I mean, you two are making some **serious** progress here!" I teased, finally coming up with what I was trying to say.

Cho didn't say anything--too afraid of becoming flustered--and silence returned. It didn't last long though because I, once again, had something to say.

When didn't I?

"So was there anything in particular you wanted to talk to me about? I know there were some things I wanted to say--kind of--but you're the one who suggested this and...Yeah, I just thought it would be better if you started," I said a bit awkwardly.

"...You know, there probably _was_ at some point, but I really can't remember anymore." I giggled in response to Cho's chuckle, despite the fact that there was nothing funny.

"Oh. Alright."

"I'm sure I'll remember as we walk, don't worry. But in the meantime, how's school. What's going on there?"

"Oh! Um, it's been fine, I guess. I've been working on a project for the past couple days. How's the Academy?" I was startled. I hadn't been expecting her to ask about school--I figured she wouldn't want to talk about it.

"Good, good. We're still doing some pretty basic stuff though. I wish Iruka-sensei would get to the harder stuff..."

"Yeah, I understand that feeling. But what about the _people_ at the Academy?" I impatiently pushed.

"Nothing out of the ordinary is happening..." she said, deciding that she's let me bring up the specific topic I wanted to discuss on my own, I assumed. How nice of her.

"What about Naruto? Anything happen there that you never told me about?"

Oh dear Lord--you don't think I like **him** do you?!" Cho shrieked, appalled.

I cracked up at that. "No, no! Ha! What a funny thought. No, I'm talking about something else."

"And that would be...?"

"The fight you had with him, duh!"

"I told you about that already!"

"Uh, no you didn't. I remember last time we spoke you said _'Naruto and I made up'_ and I had no clue what you were talking about!"

"You must have just forgotten," Cho muttered.

I solemnly shook my head. "I wish, but no. That was what made me realize how little we've been telling each other lately--ever since you went to the Academy and we've been seeing each other less. I was glad you suggested we talk, because then we could finally catch up...I know there are things you haven't told me." When she cocked an eyebrow at me, I hastily added, "Of course, there are things I haven't told you as well!"

"Well we better get talking, then...where to start? The fight with Naruto, I assume?"

I nodded.

So Cho explained it all with me listening silently as she went, nodding my head. When she finished up, I said slowly, "Yeah, I've got one. Why didn't you tell me when it happened? I could have helped! I would have been able to convince him--and if not that then I'm sure I'd at least have gotten to make you **feel** better!"

"...I thought I did tell you."

"Yes well you _didn't_. There must have been a reason you chose not to--and don't say you must have forgotten, because you don't forget things like that."

"I guess...I guess I just thought you would be too busy. And you're always so happy! I didn't want to put a damper on your mood with news like that because I knew that you'd care so much you'd feel like it was you in the fight." She squirmed under my insistent gaze.

"But Cho! That's what friends are _for_! You have to understand that! Don't feel guilty telling good or bad news to your friends. If they're really your friends, they'll listen!"

Jeez. For suddenly having so many friends, she sure didn't know how to handle them.

"..so from now on, _please_, don't be afraid to tell m anything! I'm your oldest friend, and your best one, too! I don't see why you don't confide in me anymore..." I finished up after a big long speech.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, ducking her head down so her curled locks fell into her blue eyes.

We continued walking and talking. I told her all about being attacked by bandits in the woods, and she freaked.

"WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me?!" she screamed at this, eyes bulging.

"I had my reasons."

"But! You just told me--"

I then went on to explain to her about how Lee, Tenten, and Neji had saved me just when I thought I was going to die. I then went on to tell her how I was friends with the first two, but not really the last.

"Neji? As in...Hyuuga Neji?"

"The one and only."

"I've heard of him...he's the best Genin in all of Konoha...Hinata's his cousin..."

"I didn't know that. Though that isn't much of a surprise since I'm not into the whole Ninja scene." That was pretty neat, though. How everyone seemed connected somehow.

Emi, you're more into it than you know," Cho informed her. "I mean think about it! You're friends with me, a ninja-wannabe, and now these three other ninjas?"

"That means nothing! What I'm saying is I don't know anything about ninjas! For me they're just..._there_."

"Oh gee, thanks," Cho joked.

"I didn't mean it like that!" I sputtered.

"Never mind that," my friend commanded after a while. "I want to address a different subject with you."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"YOU GOT AMBUSHED?! YOU NEVER TOLD ME?!"

"I told you that I'd tell you when I was ready. That day, and for a few afterwards, I was still too shocked to talk about it."

"And did you just get over it **now**?!"

"Of course not! I'm not that much of a wimp!" I was truly offended.

"Then why did you wait until now?!"

"Because I forgot." I knew right then that I had made a mistake in saying that. Cho's jaw dropped and she started reprimanding me. I stopped myself from saying some sort of wry remark, and surprised her by saying, "I'm sorry, Cho-chan. "I know I'm being a hypocrite, but that's all I have to say for myself."

She sighed and we kept on walking. Many more things were talked about, such as her meeting those three ninjas a few days ago, and me dropping most of my friends.

I was glowing as I told her all about it, and Cho seemed happy for me, though a little worried as well.

"So who are you friends with now?" she asked worriedly. She was afraid I had no friends?!

_How sweet._.

"Well you, duh, Tenten, and Lee, mainly. I'm sure I'll make more friends soon though--both inside the school and out." I didn't mention that I kind of already did. I also forgot to mention Kira, but she must have known.

"Do you think Neji will be one of those friends?"

As soon as she asked, my good mood dropped.

"Well, I find it difficult to imagine, in all honesty. He's too...cold. And negative. He's always rambling on about how destiny can't be changed and all that crap. It's irritating."

"Do you want to be friends with him?" she pushed.

"I know it sounds funny, but yeah, I do. I think that if he was just a _little_ bit friendlier, I could enjoy his company more." I didnt tell her that I loved picturing us as friends. I got the feeling, though, that she knew anyway.

When you're as good of friends as we are, I guess you can just tell.

"Oh! That reminds me!" Cho exclaimed, clapping her hands together as she turned to face me; I perked up.

"What reminds you of what?"

"Oh just something I was thinking. But that isn't important! What I wanted to say is that I'd like to introduce you to Hato sometime!"

"Who?"

"The ninja boy that was dragging me around the other day! He's really nice, and I really think you two would get along! You could even start a club!"

Oh I was definitely interested. This guy who seemed into Cho, just as others...he seemed fun. I giggled. "What club would this be?"

"The 'Cho And Shikamaru Sitting in a Tree Club'!"

I laughed hard after that; I had forgotten about that. However, even though we were doing a whole 'honesty' thing, I wasn't going to tell her where I really was when I saw her running around with them--right behind her.

"Who came up with that? You?" She nodded.

And then she went on to tell me about how she had been talking to Seiichi before she came to see me. Seiichi! _Seiichi!_ The guy who almost had her killed--good thing that happened, too, or who knew how much farther she and Shika would be on their 'relationship'.

We were talking forever about all loads of stuff, and my feet were killing you. School shoes were no joke--they made your feet stiff and cramped. I hated them with a burning passion.

So, when we finished talking, I hugged her good-bye and limped home while she went walking about some more.

Ah; that had felt good, opening up like that.

I felt bad though. I hadn't told her how I felt about Neji. It was crazy that I felt that way, and I just...I couldn't tell her. She would understand, and I didn't want that. I wanted her to tell me I was stupid, that he wasnt worth my time, that I should find someone else.

But you can't help who you're attracted to--that's what she'd tell me. And what help would that be? I wanted to stop liking him!

All it did was hurt me.

Sighing, I fell back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling.

How had I gotten myself _into_ this mess?!


End file.
